Midnight Law
by BrittanyWood
Summary: Nora Middleton is a Lawyer, and when Punk/Rock star Billie Joe Armstrong brings her in on her day off her mood is already put off, just another Rock star gone Rouge. She has never been so wrong in her life. Now on the run with Green Day she tries to reunite Billie Joe with his family, only more and more scandal unfold. Their lives now in each others hands. What will become of them?
1. Prologue

Midnight Law

Prologue

I enter my office, my home away from home. I have been called in on my day off, something about a rock star going crazy. I do not understand why they could not call in Lincoln Masters, or Lisa Malvaroy, anybody else. It's one of the biggest Law Firms in the world, we have thousands of Lawyers and yet they insisted upon calling me in on my day off. I just finished one of the biggest trials of my life and after its success I was granted a day off. I have been given no explanation other than this is a case for me. What is that even supposed to mean?

Sitting in the chair in front of my desk, looking out the window of my office out into the city streets that sit below, is my new client. Billie Joe Armstrong. No case files yet just a name and a warning of full client confidentiality, and in this law firm that is code for somebody who is high up in society's eyes. He doesn't seem like somebody high up in the social Class of New York. Finally my client turns to face me, His hair is shaggy and midnight black, his eyes are a striking, enticing green; I take a sharp breath for an unknown reason. He is wearing a black leather Jacket and a crinkled white T-shirt, black skinny jeans and leather motorbike boots. He smiles at me, his teeth a perfectly strange shade of white. He is the definite description of a modern day rock star.

"Mr Armstrong, how can I be of assistance?" I say pointedly, professionally and with a smile.

"Please, Billie Joe, Mr Armstrong was my father; I am not entirely sure." He states as he gets to his feet, looking at the ground puzzled by something, before he brings his hand up to shake mine, his eyes smiling at me.

"Forgive me for my bluntness, but why are you here then?" I have never been quite so blunt with a client, but this man is disrupting my day off and he has no reason. That and he is a musician, I have no tolerance for musicians on any day.

"It is a rather complicated situation; they said you were the only person who may be able to help me." He removes his hand from mine and brings both of his hands into a cup around his neck. I assume he means the administration staff, which means he is a walk in client. Fantastic.

"Pray, take a seat, gather your thoughts and begin when you feel you have it." I indicate back to where he was sitting. Walking to sit behind my desk I notice his bike helmet and gloves. His helmet is completely black including the visor. It is as if he does not wish to be recognised. I sit in my chair and place my notebook in front of me; I grab for a pen and start writing down my shopping list.

"Sorry Miss, what is your name?"

"Miss Middleton." I inform him, he almost seems taken aback.

"Is Miss your first name?" He tries to hide his laughter.

"To you it is." He is taken aback once more. I am sure this 'Rock star' is not used to such snide comments. I myself am not used to giving them.

"Well Miss Middleton, I hope I have not disrupted your day," I stare at him with a poker face, he has very much disrupted my day, "As you may, or may not, be aware, my band and I had a gig at Madison Square Garden last night." He looks at me, his face indicating I should be impressed by this, which I of course am not. "Well it went very well, it wasn't until I got back to my hotel room that everything went bad. For one thing it was empty and completely trashed," My first thought is he is a rock star so he must have trashed it, but being in my profession I must remove such assumptions from my mind, "My wife was not in but there was a letter on her bed. My first thought was perhaps she left having been bored or something, but that didn't explain why the room was trashed. I picked up the letter and read it. It was not from her, the letter explained that she has been taken, my son as well," his eyes change now, his voice choking up. "The letter said I had to bring them the parcel that had been taken in three days otherwise I will never see them again, and if I was to contact the authorities they will be dead within moments. It said nothing else; it doesn't say who they are, what they want, where this parcel may be or what the parcel is."

"You are right, this is rather a complicated situation Mr Armstrong," Now guilt has taken me, I was judging him before he even spoke, I assumed his case would be another rock-star-gone-rouge-running-in-with-the-law. This is much heavier, his family have been taken hostage and there is no backup. "I am not entirely sure why I have been appointed your case, I am -for lack of a better word- stumped." I hate to admit it, but I am a lawyer not a secret agent, not a cop, not even a mall cop, I am a nerd who reads textbooks and follows every rule there is.

"I am sorry to have disturbed you Miss Middleton, they had informed me it was your day off." He gets to his feet, grief filling his alluring eyes. Real grief, the grief and fear of a husband and a father on the brink of losing his entire family.

"Please, Billie Joe, I will look into this as much as I can, as quick as I can, I will find a way to help you as much as I can. I promise we will find a way." What I have said is a promise one should never make to a client, but this is not an ordinary case, it is an even more complex case, though through its complexity I should still not have made such a promise. Something lights up behind his eyes, optimism or hope, though whatever look it may be it quickly diminishes. He points to my notebook and pen and raises his eyebrows, asking a question that I cannot read, I presume for obvious reasons he wants to make a note. I hand them over to him and he scrawls something on the page and hands it back to me.

"Thank you Miss Middleton, I hope to hear from you soon." With that he turns around and collects his gear. As he reaches the door he puts his helmet on and fastens his jacket, slipping his hands into his gloves he opens the door and exists the room. I let out a breath I did not know I was holding and look at the notebook, He has given me his number and added suggestions of energy drinks and alcohol to my shopping list. For the first time in my professional life I believe his suggestions may be in order, I am in for a long night.

Chapter One.

I leave no more than ten minutes after my distressed client, time enough to give him some personal space and for me to grab a few books I might need. A wife and a son? He is barely more than twenty-five years old. Which brings me to wonder just how old his son would be to be left alone, was his son left alone or was he with his mother? And as for his wife, did they marry before or after their child? Now I find myself in a dangerous thought section, he is my client and the situation at hand does not require such personal information, I should stop thinking about them. I noticed earlier he said 'Mr Armstrong WAS my father.' Is his father dead? Did he die young, was Billie Joe young when he died? Or is he an absent father? Was there a bad relationship between the two which has led Billie Joe to referring to him in past tense?

"STOP!" I shout to myself, my voice ricochets off the elevator walls, saying it out loud stops my wandering thoughts. The elevator dings as it reaches the car park level I am parked in. The doors open and my heart sinks. Every car in the parking lot is gone, all but mine. I walk towards is cautiously, the elevator now gone I can hear nothing other than my own footsteps. An eerie feeling washes over me and suddenly I am running. I reach my car and jiggle the handle; its unlocked. I jump into the car and lock the doors. Letting out a shaky breath I put my keys into the ignition; the engine whirs but does not kick over. Something dawns on me as a separate something catches my eye. I locked my car, I think to myself as I look at an envelope with my name on the front. Nora Middleton is written on the front of it in the text font of Old English. From what I can remember of my schooling years, that font never leads to something happy. Ever. I sort of just stare at it confused, scared, and somewhat curious despite. I pick it up hands shaking, I have no idea what is going on, I just hope this letter will help me understand. The letter reads: you let him in, you play the game.

I scrunch of the paper and throw it away, both in fear and defiance. Do people honestly have nothing better to do? I try my engine again, still no response. I unlock the door and pop the hood. I know nothing about cars but it seems like the right thing to do. Lifting the hood I already see loose tubes and cut things. I close the hood with a frustrated slam. Storming back to the drivers seat I search the middle compartment of my car for my phone. It's not there, the bastards stole my phone. I let out an angered scream, this is not how my day off was supposed to go! I just wanted to watch some mindless TV and eat tim tams, I did not plan on getting out if my pajama's, let alone putting up with this. I get out of my car and storm my way back over to the elevator, now having to call triple-A from my office. The feeling of fear has left me replaced by sheer annoyance. I no longer hear the silence of the empty car park, I just hear the pumping of blood from my agitation. I push the button and the unexpected has happened. Sirens start blasting through the abandoned parking lot, the red emergency light spinning frantically in front of the elevator. I hear the clunking halt of the elevator and the whole building locking down. Fantastic. Whoever this guy is, is a downright American Idiot. Now trapped in an underground car park with no phone, no car and no way out. An emergency exit catches my eye and I figure this is my best chance. I sprint back to my car, reaching in I grab my notebook and slam the door. Turning back around I see the emergency exit door already opened, fear hits me again, they are here.

I walk towards the exit regardless, it is after all my only way out. I just have to hope they keep their appearance scarce. With a rapid pace I make my way over to the emergency exit door, I push through it and close the door behind me, the sounds of the sirens can no longer be heard. Just the hammering of my heart against my chest and the shakiness of my breath. Faint pattering of feet can be heard from levels much higher than mine. I wonder if this is the deranged criminal who caused all this or another stranded person. I go for the latter and begin to ascend the stairwell. Considering my options after finding my way out of this mouse trap we call emergency stairs, I really only have one. I have to call my new client Billie Joe Armstrong to come to my rescue. I feel my face burning red with shame already. I was nothing but rude to him earlier and now I have to call him because he is the only number I have on me without my phone. I would call my apartment but my roommate, Abigail Westron, is in the hospital working tonight, so I would be ringing an empty apartment. The only other phone number I know is my mother's home number, but she renders useless as she lives in Berkley.

After six flights of stairs I finally come to a door that says 'ground level' and I push through it. Cold crisp air fills my lungs and the noise of inner city new york fills my ears. I look at the building which holds my office and see the panic of everybody inside it as sirens continue to blare and doors continue locking down. I put my hand against my head, What is going on? Is one day off too much to ask for? Police sirens sound in the distance heading towards our building and all I can think about is the amount of paperwork that is going to have to be filled out. I head towards the corner of the street in search for a payphone. In the near distance I can see one and I hurry towards it, I suppose the only real reason to rush to my newly destined embarrassment is fear of somebody getting in the booth before me and preventing me from getting back to my apartment. This day has gone far from a relaxing day. I reach into my pocket and pull out some change, placing it in the machine I take the phone off the hook and open my notebook to the page with his number.

"Billie Joe." A familiar, husky voice speaks to me from the other side of the phone line.

"Hello Mr Armstrong, it's Nora Middleton." I bring myself to a halt realizing I have given him my name. I can almost hear the smile through the phone.

"Nice to hear from you so soon Nora, have you found something already?"

"I haven't had a chance so far yet to even look into it, I actually am calling for a different reason."

"Oh?" His voice is intrigued now and I feel the redness return to my cheeks, "I've had some car troubles and I seem to have lost my phone-"

"Ah, you need a lift don't you?"

"Yes," I sigh giving into the embarrassment, "I would not bother you but your phone number is the only one I have at the moment."

"It's alright Nora, I am not doing anything until later this evening I can come get you. Are you still at the office?"

"Sort of, I am calling from a payphone out the front."

"Wow, you really did lose your phone didn't you?" He laughs in disbelief, I am taken aback, "I will be there shortly." With that he hangs up, leaving nothing, but a dead dial tone and the dropping of change from the machine, in my ears. I hang the phone back on its hanger and step outside the booth. This day could not possibly get any worse. Shame taking over me I take to sitting in the gutter, ignoring the feeling that I am being watched and I just wait, wait until my lost, torn and attractive client comes to pick me up out of the gutter. _Stop it Nora Middleton, he is your client, cease this thinking immediately!_ I shout in my head,_ you cannot think of him in that way._ I sink deeper into the gutter and wait for some kind of vehicle to pull up in front of me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Nora?" Billie Joe's voice brings me to raise my head out of my knees, I make the mistake of looking into his big, god-damned eyes, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," I lie, and he can tell I am lying, "No, it hasn't quite been the day I had planned."

"Sorry." He apologizes sincerely.

"I am sorry I've had to call you to pick me up, it is very unprofessional of me."

"It is alright Nora, even the most professional of people lose their phones and break their cars in the same day." He jokes and I laugh softly at how ridiculous and unlikely that sounds, "Come on, let's get you home Miss Middleton, hop on."

I look behind him to see a black death trap on wheels, also more commonly known as a motorbike. I flinch at the site of it and I feel so stupid for such a reaction, of course I knew this was coming, he is wearing all of his motorbike gear,_ People don't wear motorbike gear in cars Nora_. He looks at me curiously and I can see even through his helmet he is feigning a smile. He passes me a spare helmet and I hesitate before taking it. There is a light tap as my skin impacts on the carbon exterior; _it hardly seems solid enough to protect my head._

"My father died on a motorbike." I whisper staring thoughtfully at my helmet, I look up at Billie Joe and his expression is unreadable. "Sorry; I don't know why I told you that."

"I am sorry to hear that Nora, where you young when it happened?"

"I was not much older than ten years old."

"My father died around the same time," Another even less readable expression passes over his face, "It will be alright Nora." He says as he throws his leg over the top of the bike and shifts the weight off the kick stand. I put the helmet on my head with a shaky breath. He starts the bike and leans back, waiting for me to come closer to him and the bike. "The bike will not bite you Nora, come here, and let me do your helmet up."

I step in closer to him and he brings his hands up under my chin to do the strap up and the nerves of sitting on the machine that killed my father and having Billie Joe Armstrong's hands touching my face have me choking up. Billie seems to see my fear and his eyes appear almost apologetic, he taps my helmet on the side and smiles at me encouragingly and tilts his head to indicate for me to get on. I suck up my fear and using the passenger pegs I hoist myself up and over the seat. Billie Joe takes both my hands and places them around his waist, he brings a bit of leather from his jacket and squeezes my hands around it. Hold on. In order for me to comply to where I am to hold on to I have slid closer in to Billie Joe and now my chest is pressed firmly against his back. Billie revs the engine and then we take off. I feel myself being pulled back by gravity as the bike gains more and more power. I grip onto Billie Joe's jacket and bring myself in closer to him as we zip dangerously past cars and around corners until finally we stop at a traffic light.

"Where am I going?" He shouts over the noise of the engine and New York traffic.

"Three blocks straight then left into 45th Avenue, right into West 43rd street."

"Gotcha." The light turns green and we speed off once again, I feel the pull from gravity and air circulating so rapidly into me that I don't even need to breathe; the air is doing it for me. It is a strange feeling, but I feel lighter than I thought I would.

Billie throws the bike between cars at a dangerously close perimeter. Each bend and turn I move with his body assuming that if I didn't I would tip the bike or we wouldn't make the turn. I close my eyes and allow the blind sensation of danger wash over me. I always promised myself, since the death of my father, that I would never go near a motorbike; at this moment I almost regret that decision. Opening my eyes I find we are already coming up 45th Avenue and I almost feel saddened by the quickness of the trip. It has only been about ten minutes and this drive in a car takes almost half an hour to make. I worry now as to how fast we were going and just how many illegal things we had to do to make this time. We turn into 45th Avenue and I can already see the street sign to West 43rd just up ahead. Rapidly we turn into it and the apartment block is just ahead, I tug Billie Joe's jacket and point in front of him to the building. He nods and pulls up in front of it. He parks the bike and kills the engine.

"Was that really that bad?" He asks, he hasn't flipped his visor up yet but I can tell he is smiling.

"It wasn't what I expected." I reply choosing my words carefully. Billie taps my leg, sending a shock of unexpected pleasure right through me, and I get a feeling that he means 'get off the bike now.' I oblige and throw myself off the bike, so thankful that I wore a pant-suit to work today. Billie Joe follows suit and kicks the bike stand down as he gets off the bike, he removes his helmet and roughs up his hair to get rid of the helmet hair. I don't dare imagine what my hair looks like right now. He places the helmet on the bike seat and I place mine next to his.

"May I come in?" He asks and I am thrown. _He is married Nora Middleton, he means for a coffee._

"Sure thing, it is the least I can do. Would you like a coffee?" He nods with a cheeky smile, tilting his head to one side. I do not know what to make of my client, I would assume in such a situation as his he would be a little more distressed than he appears. I dig into my pocket and pull out my apartment keys as we walk towards the entry of the building. A familiar and uneasy feeling hits me as I step over the threshold of the building. A shiver runs up my spine and I just know this cannot end well.

I press the elevator button, half expecting more alarms to go off which they don't, and so I just wait trying to give off a casual vibe. Billie Joe is staring a pot plant near the elevator entry, though I can tell he is actually deep in thought. That seems more like how someone should be in his situation. The elevator dings and his thoughtful face changes immediately and looks to me, he gestures for me to step inside, I do. Now that we are in the elevator we are forced closer together.

My mind is one mess of a thoughtful blur. A whirling wheel of mixed emotions fight a war inside me, I am strangely and rather quickly attracted to this man, but he is married and is my client. I feel nervous, but from what? The motorbike ride? The close proximity of this man? Everything that has happened today? All of the above? Looking at Billie all I want to do is kiss him, hug him and hold him. This situation must be harder on him then it is on me. Though I cannot deny for a second my real reason for desiring such things is that he is so close and so incredibly attractive.

"What was wrong with your car?" Billie Joe's voice breaks the silence, with a sudden boom, I blush as if he could read my mind and is changing the topic. _Ridiculous_.

"Somebody cut some tubes or something inside it," I look to my feet embarrassed by my lack of knowledge and previous thoughts, "Sorry, I don't know a lot about cars. It wouldn't start."

"Who would do that?"

"I don't know, but they left a note." A dark look flashes through my clients eyes and he turns to face me.

"What did it say?" His voice is dangerously low.

"You let him in, you play the game." The elevator doors fling open to my floor and I step out, passing Billie Joe. He grabs my wrist just as I step out and spins me around to face him.

"Did it say anything else?"

"No." I remove my hand from his grip, not because of his sudden grab but because he is a married man, a father and I have not got much self-control right now and certainly not when I am looking into his eyes. His blazing green eyes scan over my face, looking for something more. I blush and hide my face in my chest, I let out a silent breath and turn around and head towards my apartment. Three doors down from the elevator I reach my door, I go to stick my key in the lock but Billie Joe's hand pushes my hand away from the lock.

"Wait Nora, let me go first please." Billie's voice is low and dark and fear inflicting. I let my key drop into his hand and he turns to the handle. Slowly and cautiously he opens the door just a crack. He looks inside my room and his whole body tenses. I push him out of the way and throw the door open. My heart leaps into my mouth as I look around, the whole place is destroyed. Furniture broken, smashed glass litters the floor, lights are pulled out of the roof, even pillows are torn and photo frames are cracked. I let out some strange sort of squeak as I look around my demolished home and suddenly I feel like sinking to the floor. Billie grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me back out into the hallway.

"Nora I am so sorry. I did not think that anything like this would happen. Nora please look at me." I shake my head in disbelief, he pushes me up against the wall and lifts my face to look at him, "You can't stay here, not like this. Come on." He lets go of me and I let out a few ragged breaths as Billie Joe locks my apartment and heads back towards the elevator. He pauses in the hallway and looks back at me; he is waiting for both the elevator and myself. He looks at me with guilt and a look that I can presume is the look of a man with a new level of vendetta.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Billie Joe's apartment turns out to only be a few blocks from mine, only his is penthouse. It must be a nice life as a musician. I look around his pristine apartment and think about my now destroyed abode. Billie is in the kitchen making us some coffee, caffeine does not seem like something that will calm my nerves though. On the coffee table in front of me there is a framed picture of Billie Joe and what I presume are his family. He is holding his newborn son in his arms, smiling a smile that is of one mans true happiness, his blonde hair blue eyed wife standing next to him looking at her son, adjusting his little blue wrap. This snap shot is beautiful but something seems out of place; perhaps it is the small crack in the glass.

"White and two sugars yes?" Billie asks me as he carefully walks back into the living room, holding two cups of coffee. He is watching the cups as he walks towards me trying to ensure nothing spills over. I find something charming about this, even an alleged rock star has trouble walking with coffee.

"Perfect," I smile at him and reach my hand out to take the cup from him as he shuffles in front of me, he sits down on the couch beside me and our legs touch. I try to ignore it and act as though I do not notice it. I look guiltily to the picture on the table, "Is that your wife and son?"

A look passes over Billie Joe's face that seems to conflict between settling on worried or angry. "yes, that is my wife Bella and this is my little boy Joey," his face settles now on a lost sort of look, "he is two years old." A tear forms in the corner of his eye.

"We will get them back Billie Joe, whatever it takes." I rub my free hand gently on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. He blinks back the escaping tear and looks at me in the eyes.

"Do you know who my band is?" Changing the subject.

"Sorry to say I do not," I feel bad for some reason about not knowing this, "But please do not take offense to that, I do not know much music."

"Well in that case, I am the front man of the band Green Day, we are a punk band and we just released our new album Nimrod and we are currently touring to promote it. Our tours can last up to a year with a new release. Bella came to visit me, she had something important she had to tell me that she couldn't say over the phone. I almost had to cancel my bands performance that night, we'd had a horrible argument. I mean horrible. I was so mad with her, I left the apartment and went to sound check with the guys. I was fuming and the only thing I knew that would calm me down again was to perform. That's what I did, I performed one of our best performances to date, the guys and I were stoked. We went out for celebratory drinks at our favorite pub franchise here in New York, Foxboro Hot Tubs. I come home and the apartment was trashed, my wife was gone and I was left with her abductors letter."

I just stare at him, I have no idea what to say to this. I cannot find words to either help him, console him or comfort him. From a lawyers perspective the next thing to ask is about the fight, to see if there were any motives to a possible crime hoax.

"forgive me for asking, Mr Armstrong, but may I insist on what the fight was over?"

"Are you always this professional Miss Middleton?" he asks mocking my professional tone.

"Not all the time. Sorry." I look at him apologetically, only wishing he would tell me about the fight, for professional reasons and undeniably to fulfill my burning curiosity.

"She had come here to tell me that she couldn't handle this lifestyle; me being home for a month then touring for a year. Rightly so to, that I understood, that much I could understand, it's hard for me too. Then she came out and said she wanted a proper father for Joey, someone who could be home for him all the time, who could go to his basketball games, could patch him up when he fell. This angered me, not because of the fact she was saying it but because of the fact it was true, I can't have this lifestyle and a family. I had offered for her to tour with us, Joey could homeschool. She denied it and frankly it was not my preferred option for Joey either. I offered to quit the band, but she would not allow me to, this, what I do, it is me, music is my life and I want my family as part of it with me. Quitting the band would be killing the biggest part of me." Billie has begun to get teary again as he watches the scene go down in his head, "Then she out rightly said she had found another father, that she had been seeing him for a number of months now. Then she told me that I was never going to see Joey again, she didn't want Joey to know his father, to have to fill the shadow of a man he would never have known. We argued this for a while before I left her standing in the living room infuriated and crushed."

"From a professional point of view I can see her rights in the aspect of this 'lifestyle' and the need for stability, especially with a child. Though I do believe your rights are just as important in this situation as hers. If she wishes for a divorce then she has to deal with child custody laws, you can fight for custody over Joey and she has to oblige, so long as you are not a murderous, abusing person you legally can take custody or at least partial custody." I don't know if this information makes him feel better or worse, his expression doesn't change.

"What is the time Nora?" Billie Joe's question throws me.

"Its just after noon, why?" I check my watch just as my stomach growls at me.

"I have to go to sound check, you should come with me." He gets to his feet and holds out his hand for me to get up. I place my half empty coffee cup back on the table and slide my hand into Billie Joe's. He wraps his fingers around my hand and takes my weight as I stand to my feet. We both linger, standing hand in hand, for a few moments too long before Billie removes his hand from mine. He coughs and roughs up his hair at the back. "Come on let's go." He turns on his heel quickly and walks towards the door. I follow him, trying to keep distance from him.

_His wife wants a divorce, she cheated on him. As far I can tell, they broke up last night…_ _Stop!_ He is still my client. Billie is holding the door open for me, his expression unreadable as I pass him, heading down the hallway until I reach the elevator.

I press the button and the elevator _dings_ instantly, I step inside and turn around to hold the doors for Billie Joe, as I do Billie pushes his body against mine, he brings his face down to level with mine his piercing eyes look into mine as he brings his lips in close to mine. At first he hesitates and I feel his breath stagger warmly against my lips, the sweet scent of coffee drifts between my lips which instinctively part. He presses his lips against mine, his tongue forcefully parts my lips and slips itself inside my mouth, his taste floods my senses and his hands drift up my side leaving a trail of lustful burn behind. As his hands slide around my back Billie brings me in tight against his chest. The elevator stops about four floors down, before the doors can open Billie turns us both around and pushes me against the wall, he presses the close door button without deviating from the task at hand. He pushes his hips in against me pinning me harder to the wall. I can feel his manhood hardening against me as a hand slides down my back, slowly drifting towards my upper thigh. He tightens his hand softly and I feel a growing warmth but in a sudden "ding" the elevator doors open and we spring apart.

Billie Joe looks at me, his smile a mix of confliction and cheeky ambition. I just stare at him, breathing still staggered from Billie's advance. He winks at me playfully and exits the elevator, leaving me confused and wanting more. I know musicians, what they are like, what they want and I know them well enough to know that to Billie Joe I am nothing more than a fling, a rebound from his wife. Looking more optimistically at him though, he seems different to the last musicians I have encountered. Perhaps he will surprise me, perhaps after this case I may turn out to be something to him. Though until this case is closed, I can do no more with him; though I want that moment and more from him.

The next few minutes are a blur to me, still thrown from Billie's sexual spontaneity in the elevator. He is sitting sideways on his bike waiting for me to come closer, he has my helmet in his lap and a dangerous grin on his face. I shoot him a questioning look which he seems to ignore, he just rolls his eyes and taps his wrist to tell me to hurry up. I figure his mischievous grin is more one of pride as I walk up to him. He stands to his feet holding my helmet in one hand, he brings the helmet up above my head and before I can react he drops his arm behind my neck and brings his free hand around my waist bringing me in close to his body. His lips don't hesitate this time as he places them upon mine. His tongue parts my lips again, sliding his tongue lightly against my lower lip. I bring my arms up around him and draw him in closer, my participation catching him off guard. I lightly grip his lower lip with my teeth and lightly tug at it before releasing it. He lets out a pleasured groan and deepens his kiss, the pressure of his lips against mine hardening, his pulse quickening, his muscles tightening. He drops his hand on my back and grabs my thigh firmly in his hand, he brings my leg up and wrap it around him. Billie leans back on the seat of his bike and in turn I am sitting on his crotch, I can feel the firmness in his pants and instinctively my hips begin to grind. Billie lets out another groan as his breathing grows flustered, he traces his tongue along my lips again before he takes my lower lip between his teeth and pulls on it lightly, filling me with a raunchy sensation. I let my right hand drop down Billie's back and travel around his front, sliding my hand up his shirt with light fingers. His skin reacts to my touch and I let my hand drift towards his pants line.

"Jesus Nora," Billie smiles breathlessly at me pulling my face away from his, he does not move his gaze from my eyes. In his green eyes is an undeniable look of pure unadulterated lust, "If you keep this up I am going to be late." I plant another kiss on his lips, he is taken aback but regaining himself he tries to force his tongue through the slight parting of my lips, I smile and pull my head away.

"We can't have that." I wink at him, _Screw client discretion screw his possibly ex-wife, I want this man._ He laughs a short breathless laugh and puts my helmet on my head with a playful pat. He looks me in the eyes and shakes his head with a smile before I remove my leg, freeing him to turn around and start the motorbike.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

I look up at the sky as Billie brings his bike to a halt. The sky is dark and the air surrounding us blows madly and I smell a storm brewing. Billie Kills the engine of the bike and squeezes my leg, bringing me out of my storm brewing thoughts. I remove my helmet as I wriggle back in the seat, giving Billie enough space to get off the bike. I pull the helmet off my head as the bike tilts slightly to the side as Billie kicks the stand down. He pulls his helmet off his head and brings up a free hand to rough up his helmet flattened hair, leaving me once again horrified of how my ponytail is holding up.

"For someone who hours ago had a great disdain for motorbikes seems to rather enjoy them." Billie smiles smugly at me as he turns to face me.

"Like I said, it's not what I expected. Although I can say I am still not a fan of helmet hair."

"It will grow on you." He laughs at me.

A flailing man catches my eye as he runs frantically towards us, his sandy brown Mohawk being blown slightly lopsided from the psychotic wind. Billie follows my gaze, letting out a brief laugh at the sight of this ecstatic man. Billie throws his leg over the bike and walks towards the man, He is far enough away for me to only hear bits of conversation.

"Jimmy! Bout time… Mike was… assuming you're hungover…" The strange man says.

"Sorry Tré… caught up…" Billie replies, me only hearing words faintly over the hurricane winds. They look over at me and Billie waves, I wave back. "… Attorney."

"Have you… Bella?" Billie shrugs indifferently to whatever _Tré_ has said. He turns around and gestures for me to approach them. I get off the bike feeling the resistance from the wind as I do.

"Nora, this is our charismatic drummer, Tré Cool." The charismatic male extends his hand for me to shake.

"Pleased to meet you." I say politely taking his hand which he shakes energetically.

"Of course you are!" he laughs, Billie Joe just laughs shaking his head.

"Come on you two let's get inside before we get blown away." Billie suggests placing his hand on the small of my back leading me towards a stage side door.

Billie uses his other hand to open the door, a strange warmth flows from inside the building as we step inside. A man comes out of a room up ahead, his head turning towards us with a beer bottle in his hand. He lets out a sigh of what could be relief as he notices us.

"About bloody time Armstrong." The man says, his Californian accent heavy.

"Sorry Mike, Had some things to sort out with Miss Middleton."

"Right oh then, let's get to it then, the show starts in four hours."

"What about the weather?" Tré asks nobody in particular

"Management is still deciding, it is a huge thing to cancel a show they are hesitant." Mike informs him

"It's meant to be a snow storm, You can see it already forming."

"Then if the snow starts to fall they will cancel it. For now though we have to act as if the show is still going on. So sound check; now." Mike finishes with finality as he walks down the hallway.

"You go on with him Tre, I will take Nora somewhere where she will not become deaf." Billie Laughs and Tre just nods, still unsure about the proceedings.

Billie escorts me down the hallway into the room Mike had exited from. Lounge chairs surround a small glass table scattered with beer bottles and chip packets. He leads me past the messy room to a door behind it with his name written on it. I push the door open and I am inside a dark room, Billie switches on the light and I can now see a long red lounge chair, much like the ones outside his dressing room, a small table with a mirror on it with scattered objects laying carelessly on it. A rack sits on the other side of the room with a various array of black shirts and jeans and a colorful selection of ties hangs around them.

"I take it this is your dressing room?"

"What gave it away?" Billie laughs softly

"The clothes and the eyeliner." I turn to face him, my head tilted towards my chest and I look at him through my lashes.

"Not the mini fridge?" He winks at me taking a step in close to me he pushes a bit of hair to the back of my ear and lets his hand linger, "I thought that was the dead giveaway."

"The couch too is-" he interrupts me by pressing his lips against mine softly.

"You talk too much," His lips still on mine as he speaks, he presses them firmer against my lips and slips his tongue through my lips forcing them apart. Something different happens though, he smiles. "I have to go to sound check, stay here if you like it will be a lot warmer; otherwise you can follow the hallway straight and you will find the stage signs to follow and you can come watch. But I really have to go, Mike will have my head if I am not out there right now." With that he separates our bodies and with a half-smile he turns and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I linger just staring at the door for no real reason, perhaps I am expecting him to run back through and surprise me as he had done in the elevator? He is right, it is much warmer in here, he must have the heating turned on; the promising warmth keeps me from running after him. Turning back around I look at the couch, it looks inviting but I do not feel like sitting idle right now. Taking to walking around the room I venture over to the small table and pick up his eyeliner. I bite my lip guiltily, the temptation to apply it is over whelming. I place it back down and stare at it, caving I pick it up and un cap it. Pulling my eyelid down I run a black line along my lower lashes, the black sticking to them in a dark, defining line; I blink letting my eyes adjust to normality again and before I ruin the surprise of the eyeliner, I apply the eyeliner to the other eye and blink a few more times.

Opening my eyes I see my relfection in the mirror; my eyes look rounder now and the brown iris seems somewhat less dull than before. I blush at the idea that I am actually wearing something of my client's. I feel the compulsive need to wipe away the makeup but I look at myself and I almost feel comfortable. Relaxing a little I let my hair out of its constricting pony tail and allow it to fall freely down my back. I bring the front bits of my mid-length black hair over my shoulders, it is a great improvement on my previous bike-haired self.

I put the eyeliner back in its place and look over some of the other things he has; a disguarded picture of his wife is covered by empty alcohol bottles. I move them out of the way and pick up the picture. His wife, or ex-wife, is very pretty, her blonde hair cut sharply and her piercing blue eyes stare at me, judging what I have done to their marriage. _I haven't done anything to their marriage, it was over before I walked in_. I feel myself smile smugly to myself, this is by far the most immoral thing I have ever done, but I just do not seem to care right now; Not with Billie Joe. I put the picture back, placing it back under the empty bottles and walk to the couch. I let myself fall freely to the couch, feeling mild exhilaration from the brief gravity defying moment. I sit back up, feeling the instantaneous boredom of being alone in this room. I look over to Billie Joe's clothing rack where I see a black jacket hanging freely at the end. I get to my feet and without a second thought I grab it and throw it around my shoulders. The intoxicating aroma of Billie Joe's scent fills my nose with alcohol and cigarettes, the smell of rebellion and sex appeal.

The sudden booming sound of live music fills the room, snapping me out of my lustful state. I contemplate removing the jacket and sitting back down, perhaps drift off into a temporary sleep; anything but let myself develop feelings for my client. I walk towards the door anyway and open it, I hesitate briefly as the sound grows louder and more enticing. I look into Billie's dressing room and turn the light off, my final decision. I want this man. I wrap his jacket around me tighter, holding him closer to me letting his scent consume me and reassure me that my decision will not end in vain, not like last time.

I walk out of the room and into the hallway where I am greeted by harsh frozen winds and an all-consuming clatter of music. Then first sign that indicates the way to the stage is in front of me and I follow it, turning into a new hallway I follow it to the end and I come turn at the end following the sound of music and the intensifying chill of the concert hall. _Do you have the time to listen to me whine, about nothing and everything all at once…_ Billie's rock hardened voice blasts through the speakers suddenly, making me pause walking just to focus on the sweet sound. I fall in love with the sound of his voice lacing together with the guitar riff. Drums suddenly begin to lightly tap in the background. Suddenly the music explodes with a loud crash, I focus again on the lyrics, the story he is telling. I almost break into a run, desire to watch Billie in his element tries to overcome me and I try to fight it and keep an even pace. The music is so loud I can hardly hear my own thoughts but in a matter of seconds I am standing side stage staring at the beautiful man singing and playing guitar and my thoughts seem invalid anyway. He looks over at me in a break of vocals and winks at me before returning to his microphone and continuing the song. I lean against the wall beside me and for the passing moments I loose myself in the music, something I have not done in so long. I do not register the breaks in songs or the changes in them, they blur together in a sweet symphony, each song a new chapter in the one song. It is beautiful.

"Alright guys, we should check with management what the go is with tonight's proceedings," an unfamiliar voice fills the stereo system, ending the music abruptly, " Nice work Billie, Tré and Mike, the sound is all ready to go; I will let you know what management has decided soon as I can."

"Cheers Alex." Billie replies through his microphone to ensure his thanks reach out to the invisible man I assume is sitting behind some sound desk somewhere. There is an irritating ring left hanging in my ears from the loudness of the band, I try to shake it but I cannot. Billie walks over to me, his eyes scanning the jacket and eyeliner. "Got bored did we?"

"One can only entertain oneself so much in a room whilst such god-like symphony's sing through the walls." I joke; well half joke…

"Are you a fan now?" He smiles smugly at me, I nod nonchalantly and he breathes a laugh, sending a shiver through me, "Come on let's get you back to the dressing room, it is much warmer in there and we really do need to discuss my current situation."

Suddenly the magic from the music, motorbikes and coffee is gone and I am brought back to reality. I am his attorney not his girlfriend or muse, hi lawyer. I feel so stupid now, standing in front of him wearing his jacket and eyeliner. I feel my cheeks redden as my eyes drop to the floor, I cannot believe how unprofessional I have been acting. Billie Joe watches me as I fight my internal war and the redness of my cheeks deepen, I bite my lip and turn trying to stall his questioning until I get my shit together. Through my ringing ears I can hear Billie's footsteps close behind me keeping rhythm with my heartbeat. I follow the hallway back down towards the bands dressing rooms. Mike and Tre smile up at me as I enter the room and I smile back.

"What did you think?" Tre pipes up,

"You guys are pretty awesome, it sounded great!"

"Glad you thought so." Mike smiles

"Fun fact, that was the first sound check we didn't screw up!" Tre radiates with excitement, "You must be lucky to have around us Miss Middleton, I'll make sure Billie is always in need of a lawyer!"

"I don't think that will be necessary, far too risky, I am a good lawyer but even the best can lose the case. I do not believe Mr Armstrong would appreciate being behind bars." I laugh as Billie walks in the room.

"Don't knock it till you try it Billie." Tre winks at Billie who laughs and guides me to the dressing room.

"If you'll excuse us, we have a case to discuss in _full_ disclosure." Billie informs the whole waiting room as we approach his dressing room; Tre mouths what Billie says as Mike brings him over a drink. They both clink glasses together as Billie closes the door behind us, I walk over to the couch and sit down. Beginning to remove Billie Joe's jacket as he sits across from me, he holds his hand out as if to say stop. "Leave it on, it looks good on you," he pauses as I shuffle the jacket back on properly, "I like the eyeliner to, the whole look suits you."

"So where do we start?" I ask, ignoring his tempting flirtations I try to hide my flushing cheeks.

"Well I suppose have to find either Joey or the parcel. I really don't see any way of finding Joey though; I don't know where these guys came from let alone where they disappear to." His response is somewhat distracted and damaged.

"Okay, so this parcel, do you have any idea at all what it could be?"

"No, I haven't received a parcel in a month, y'know."

"Perhaps it is an old parcel and it has taken them a while to track down to you?" I suggest hopefully in a helpful manner. "Perhaps something sent or kept within the family even?" Something about my suggestion sparks in Billie's eyes which are now glowing in hope, "What is it?"

"My dad had a box full of files that we were never to touch or discuss, being so young I thought nothing really of it, but maybe there was something in there?" I mirror his same expression, maybe, just maybe this could be it.

"What did your father do as an occupation?"

"From what I can recall he was just a truck driver, y'know."

"Dare I say it Billie Joe but I am thinking that perhaps he might just have been a little more than your everyday mundane truck driver."

Billie leans forward pressing his lips against mine, his tongue routinely parting my lips sliding his tongue leaving traces across my lower lip and I let my tongue follow as they dance. Professional or not I will let this kiss pass as an outburst of emotion, _No more after this Nora Middleton not so long as he is your client._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

I am not sure how long we have been in the dressing room but coming out of it everybody seems to have left. Fresh empty bottles of alcohol have collected on the couch and the floor, Billie is walking over to the table where something seems to have caught his eye and if it is what has caught my eye, we appear to have been left a note. I can see the fear in Billie's eyes mirroring my own as he lifts it up and holds it for me to see. His eyes scan the letter and widen with some emotion I cannot depict, it is either fear or anger or perhaps angry fear? I have no idea.

"What does it say?" I ask my voice nothing but a timid squeak. Billie looks up at me and pauses for quite some time, just staring at me letting to mysterious words sink in to him.

"The party of four is no more, now a party of two what shall you do?" Billie's eyes change to a lethal green as anger takes him, "They have taken Mike and Tre!"

"We weren't in there for more than ten minutes… They couldn't have gotten very far, if we go we could catch them."

"You're right," Billie grabs my hand, "Let's go."

We sprint down the hall back towards the car park, sprinting towards the cold. It must have already started snowing. Billie charges through the door first and snow pelts against my skin, instinctively I pull my hand from his and stop before I am out the door.

"Fuck!" I hear Billie shout from outside, "Fuck!" He shouts again but louder, I push the door open bracing myself for the snow storm outside. I place my hand on Billie's shoulder and pull him back through the doors threshold. "Nora come on we have to go."

"We can't." I say dropping my hand, Billie looks at me as though I have punched him in the gut.

"Yes we can come on the longer we stay here the further away they get." His voice is laced with panic.

"Billie Joe, that is a full scale snow storm going on out there and there is no possible way the bike would survive that, no way we could survive that." Billie paces the door line frantically, running his hands through his hair, his eyes wide and wondering what he can do. I place my hand on his shoulder and he stops pacing his eyes burn into mine, "We are no good to them dead."

"Exactly, you stay here I am going to see if the bile still runs." Before I can grip his shoulder to stop him he is out the door and running through the blizzard outside. I stand here in the doorway, stunned by Billie Joe's sheer determination and his utter stupidity. I open the door to see if I can see him, but the snow is falling so heavily that I can hardly see my hand in front of me. I close the door with a slam my heart suddenly in my chest. If I could not see my hand in front of me how the hell is supposed to navigate his way to the bike and back here? The temperature drops about ten degrees all of a sudden and I turn around. From the dim lighting a silhouette of a person disappears into the dressing rooms. I draw in a staggered breath knowing that this cannot end well, Billie is missing but I am seemingly not alone. Now this could play out one of two ways, they could be an employee here looking for the band that is supposed to be performing tonight or they could be a kidnapping murderer sent to assassinate them and myself. I go with the latter and walk towards the dressing rooms, my heart pounding and my breath short. _This is a stupid idea Nora, what the hell are you doing?_ I scold myself as I walk towards potential danger.

"Oh for god's sake, where the hell are they?" A semi familiar voice calls from the dressing room. It kind of sounds like sound guy Alex from before only without the microphone distortion. I relax a little bit and my pace returns to normal. I enter the room and a tall blonde hair, blue eyed man spins around expectantly, "Who the hell are you?"

"I am Mr Armstrong's attorney."

"Well do you have any flipping idea where the hell your client and his buddies are?" I suddenly develop a bad feeling about this man.

"I was hoping you might tell me." I manage to fake a decent lie.

"I don't have a god damned clue and I am meant to tell them that despite the snow storm the concert is going to go on and the moment people begin to arrive they are being let straight inside the building.

"Is that really a good idea? I mean it is a full scale blizzard out there?"

"Well no I don't think it is a good idea at all, but it isn't my call." He comes closer to me and I step back, "It's never my call Nora." I am taken aback and my heart begins to race again, how could he possibly know my name? Before I can register what is going on he pushes me over the back of the couch. With a sudden smash alcohol bottles shatter and my head collides with the glass table, sending glass everywhere. Through dizzy vision I push myself up, my hands collecting glass as I do, arming myself with something at least. I wrap my hands around the cold, sharp glass as he leaps over the couch. He grabs my shirt and brings me in close to his face.

"Where is your little boyfriend now aye?" His blue eyes widen, wild with murderous intent. I am becoming too dizzy to muster words, his face blurring in and out of focus. I bring the shard of glass in my hand up and trail it across his face. He lets go of me with a roar and I fall to the ground struggling to hold onto consciousness.

"What the fuck?" I hear Billie's voice boom before I see him kick my attacker.

His leg flies into Alex's gut and Alex falls in a crumpled heap to the floor. Billie stands above Alex and shouts at him, grabbing Alex's shirt, I can no longer hear what he is saying there is only a sonic ringing in my head. Billie throws his fist into Alex's face and Alex spits blood at Billie and says something that I cannot hear. Suddenly Billie lifts the man up and pushes him against the wall, through blurry eyes I can see the murderous look in Billie. He takes another swing at Alex's face and he falls unconscious to the floor, Billie runs over and drops down beside me. I cannot hear what he is saying but I think he is asking either if I am okay or if I want a monkey…

My eyes come into focus and somehow I am on the couch, Billie must have moved me. I blink and look around for Billie, he is standing in the corner; his eyes buried in his hands.

"Billie," I whisper and his head snaps up and he walks over to me, "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay? Nora are you okay?" He cups my head in his hand and strokes his thumb across my head wound, sending a very bizarre and welcome warmth within me.

"I am fine." I whisper breathily.

"Glad to hear it." His lips lock against mine and suddenly the whole room shifts, the couch now a bed. Before I can question anything Billie's tongue meets mine and my whole body reacts. I arch my body into his touch and his hand travels from my face until he rests it in the gap between my legs. An electric current rushes through me before my eyes fly open and I'm staring at the dark insides of Billie's dressing room. I let out a shaky breath from the aftershock of my dream.

My head is pounding as I try to let my eyes adjust, my head feels groggy and I can still feel blood sticking as it slides down my face. I try to look around the dressing room for Billie but he is nowhere to be seen, I listen as carefully as I can for any sign of him but my ears are still ringing. Tinny muffles from outside my door begin to find their way through the ringing in my ears. I can hear multiple voices, I try to shake my head to clear my ears but all I do is make the pounding in my head stronger. I lift my palm to my face and gently wipe the blood away from my cheek. I don't dare touch the area where the pounding is coming from. The door creeps open and a beam of light fills the room, a cautious hand grips the side of the door before Billie's silhouette appears.

"Nora!" He closes the door again and runs over to me, sitting himself on the floor in front of me, "Are you okay?" I can't muster words so I just shake my head gently trying to be careful not to aggravate the wound again. His face darkens as he brings a tissue up to my face where he gently begins to wipe away the blood. I hear a conversation outside in hushed tones; I shift my gaze to Billie's where his green eyes watch me with certain intensity. I mean to ask him who is outside but my mind is in the gutter from my dream. I place my hand over his gently, stopping him from moving my hand, he opens his mouth to say something but I place my lips against his before he has the chance.

He tries to move his mouth away from mine, to say whatever he just wanted to say, but I don't let him I let my hand drift from his to around the back of his neck, I begin to sit up pulling him with me. He gives up trying to talk and instead goes with it, his hand cups behind my neck as he lays me down on the bed, our lips do not break apart. Billie brings his free hand to my hip, quickly joined by his other hand and he pulls me in tighter against him. I moan softly as blood begins to rush through me, rapidly heating my body, my jacket suddenly seems too hot to wear. I take hold of Billie's belt and begin to undo it. He mutters my name in warning but I take his lips between my teeth and he lets out a defeated moan. I free his belt buckle and start on his button and fly. Now that they are undone my hand drifts below his underwear line, his body tenses and his kiss deepens at my touch. Billie removes his mouth from mine and buries his face in the nape of my neck where his lips graciously brush against my skin, he sucks gently and it sends eruptions of pleasure through me.

Billie takes the bottom of my shirt and rips it up the centre, the buttons holding it together are sent flying. My skin rises in small anticipating bumps as the chilly air kisses it all over. Billie goes to work on my pants as he begins to kiss me from my neck and drifting teasingly closer to my inner thigh. I wrap my fingers in Billie's hair and tilt his head up, I tug it encouraging him bring his face back to mine. He plants his lips on mine as he frees the zipper on my pants and I bring my hands up to his tie. At first I grip the tie and force his mouth harder against mine but now I work on loosening it, I drop his tie on the floor and begin to undo each of his buttons leaving a kiss on his chest as I free another button. Billie tugs the top of my pants and I push my hips up both to let him remove my pants and to bring myself closer to him. My pants join Billie's tie and both our shirts on the floor as Billies hand drives deep into my inner thigh. I groan pleasurably as he presses against my groin, suddenly he takes his hand away and I am left in a pleasured agony as Billie removes his pants.

He lies himself on top of me kissing me passionately as his hands pull my underwear down where I kick them off my ankles, his hands dip under my back and unclip my bra in one swift movement. We are both naked and despite the blizzard outside I feel incredibly hot. My head feels light as he enters me, I bite Billie's lip at the sudden eruption of pleasure. He lets out a moan as he begins to move rhythmically inside me. His hands dig underneath my back and he pushes himself deeper in me and we both moan with pleasure. Billie begins to lift me up until I am sitting on top of him, he is so deep inside me that we are both lost in mind-numbing satisfaction. He thrusts his hips slowly as he moves inside me. I bring my lips to his neck and he whispers my name somehow making my heart race faster. Billie drops his head down to my sternum and kisses me lightly, he presses up against my inner walls. Billie begins to kiss across my sternum and up my breast until he comes to my nipple where he begins to suck. I lose my ability to contain my pleasure and I release a series of moans and breathy sighs as he continues his steady rhythm. My fingers begin to lightly trace Billie's back and where ever my fingers go his body tenses in response. Billie lies down and I am now on top of him, I begin to grind my hips filling every inch of me with him. Billie grabs my hips and pulls me, holding me firmly on him. Before I even notice he lifts me off him and he brings his mouth to my clitoris where he begins to suck lightly and pleasure fills me in a wave. I weaken suddenly with an erupting feeling, he stiffens quickly and lets out a shaky pleasured breath before he too collapses below me in a pit of distinguished pleasure. Billie then looks up at me and the look in his eyes vivid with pleasure. He lifts my pelvis and pushes my down his body once again until I am resting against his legs panting.

"I was not expecting that," Billie laughs an exhausted laugh, "A welcome surprise."

"Shut up," I laugh back at him half heartedly

"How are you feeling?" I just stare at him asking with my eyes how-the-hell-do-you-think-I-feel? "Your head?" As he says it the pounding from my damaged head takes over the lingering lust from moments ago. I wince and bring my hand up to it, it is no longer bleeding but it is throbbing. Billie sits up and cleans himself up as he dresses, his eyes barely moving from mine. The ache in my head quickly becomes a migraine and I close my eyes hoping for it to help. Billie places a coat or something over me and I welcome the warmth.

"I could use a drink." I whisper to myself more than Billie.

"I got you one better, I called in for some Novocaine; here take it," I open one eye to find Billie dressed as normal extending his hand out to me with two small pills and a glass of water; I hope its water. "It will take away the pain inside, I promise." He smiles in encouragement as I take the water and pills from his palm, "Perhaps having sex wasn't the best idea…" He smirks.

"I regret nothing," I wink back at him, I suppose professionally I should definitely regret what just happened between my client and myself but personally I regret not a single moment. Billie sits himself down beside me handing me my discarded undergarments. I quickly pop the pain killers into my mouth, flushing them down with the glass of water which I place on the table over the couch arms and take my clothing from Billie.

"That was rather unprofessional of you Miss Middleton," Billie smirks but his words sting my pride, I shuffle under the coat trying to dress myself, "What brought that on?" His eyes burn with innocence, he is not offended by my actions in fact I can tell he rather enjoyed them, as much as I did.

"Caught in the moment," I shrug in a mockery of nonchalance.

"Perhaps that head wound of yours has caused you some mild trauma to that large brain of yours?"

"Mr Armstrong are you saying I have a fat head?" I intend my tone to come out in a manner that is a joke but I find I meet the complete opposite. Billie's expression shifts from friendly and playful to apologetic.

"No Nora, I am sorry, I was just saying you are very smart and what you did was very not smart so perhaps there is more underlying damage…" Something in his explanation strikes a nerve, perhaps the fact he believes my actions came from concussion and not from my own choice, wounds my pride.

"I know completely what it was that I was doing, it was my decision and it was not a stupid one," I scoff at him, inching myself away from him slightly.

"Nora, is there not a rule that lawyers have that you did just break?" This hits me below the belt line, realization sinks in. Suddenly I am mortified, he is right technically I cannot have any relationship but a professional one with my client; but why is he pointing that out?

"Why do you care?"

"I do not want you to get in trouble is all," He seems to sink into the couch trying to disappear.

"How would anybody know?"

"They would, will and most likely do," Billie admits, I know he is right people seem to be after us left right and centre, tears begin to well in my eyes as the novocaine begins to kick in, numbing the pain in my head but not in my pride. "Nora, hey Nora, it's okay," Billie tries to halt my welling tears, he cups his hand on my face and I swat it away, _What have I done?!_ "Come on let's get a coffee and talk this over,"

"Are you kidding me?" he stares at me confused, "Coffee… after what just happened?"

"Yeah, why not?" His ignorance to the situation is commendable, he clearly isn't aware that my career and name is on the line here. If this gets out to anybody I can kiss my life as a lawyer goodbye, I will have nothing to my name anymore. The look in his eyes is unbearable the sheer confusion filling his big round eyes, drawing me in to his hypnotising charm once again. I stand up quickly and walk out towards the door, feeling slightly groggy from the novocaine, "Nora-"

"Billie Joe Armstrong," I cut him off as I reach the door way, not turning around, I can hear him coming closer cautiously, "I can see straight through you inundating, clandestine, facetious beguilement and I shall have no more of it as I plight its debauchery nature." I take a step forward before Billie can stop me and close the door. I step away and hope he gets the idea, I will no longer be tempted by this man as I have let myself do. He opens the door and I spin instinctively, he grabs me and spins me around so I cannot walk any further towards the exit.

"Nora, where are you going to go? There is a snow storm outside and you have no car."

"I do not care where, just away from you…" I choke my last words out and step back into his dressing room slamming the door and flicking over the lock. He twists the handle trying to open the door as I slide down the cold red timbre until I am sitting on the ground. I bring my knees to my chest, burying my head I begin to sob. I do not understand the whole situation, the gravity of it is so overwhelming that I have no idea what is going on. How could this man, a musician, have me so captivated by his presence in such a short time?

"Nora please," Billie knocks on the door, "Please open the door," I do not do anything as more sobs escape from me. I have tarnished my career so quickly in such a short amount of time. I have been beaten up by a sadistic sound person and had sex with my client all in one afternoon. The thought makes my sobs grow heavier, and heavier still as I come to realise that after all of that, all I want is to be in his arms right now.

"Go get your stinking coffee!" I shout through the door, my voice muffled by my own teary chokes and legs. Billie stops knocking on the door as I hear him rest his head against it defeated, I hear his hand fall limp on the door's handle.

"Nora… I fire you as my lawyer, my wife and I are already divorced, what else is there I can do?" His voice is strained as he pleads for me to open the door. My heart sinks through the floor, there isn't anything else he can do, he fired me so I have no legal obligations to uphold and he has broken it off with his wife, and not because of me. His voice comes through the door, pleading desperately, "Oh Nora, for the love of god, please, please open the door; please."

I let his words seep in and I do not know if this is the novocaine acting but I reach up behind me unlatching the lock on the door and shuffle to the side of the wall. Billie carefully opens the door and places his hand on my shoulder; I shudder under his touch and shrug it off. I don't know if the novocaine is making me so bi-polar or just sheer confusion but I get to my feet and wrap my arms around Billie's waist, burying my head into his chest where I persist on crying. He says nothing but just cups the back of my neck soothingly and lets me sob. He whispers things in my ear saying he is sorry and that everything is going to be okay. Words that should soothe me and do before I stupidly contradict everything with _Will this be okay, really?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

I wake up in Billie's arms, blinking as my eyes adjust to the artificial lighting in the dressing room. I wasn't even aware we had fallen asleep, _I must have fallen asleep crying, that is always a great thing to do after just meeting a man then sleep with him_, I mentally slap myself in the face for everything that happened yesterday. Pretty quickly I forget the self-loathing for my actions and focus on the fact that this beautiful man holding me, is holding me close to his chest; he has stayed here all night with me. I can't hide the smile; I don't know what happened yesterday aside from quite a lot. One day with him and this already means so much to me, it is ridiculous to have developed such strong feelings but I do not care. My head no longer hurts, the novocaine must have worked. I do not want to wake him, he looks so at peace in his sleep, away from the horrors of his abducted friends and family; but I also do not want him to wake up with me watching him.

"Billie," I whisper softly gently poking his chest, he wakes with a start, startling me as he clutches me protectively.

"Nora, is everything okay?" I nod as he relaxes, "You had me worried,"

"Sorry,"

"No need to be sorry," Billie pushes back a bit of hair from out of my eyes and smiles softly.

"I'm sorry about everything, about yesterday and last night…"

"No need to be sorry," he repeats his smile not diminishing, "It was a big day, a lot happened, if anybody I should be sorry it should be me, I dragged you into this mess." His face still smiles but his eyes darken.

"You didn't know any of this was going to happen," I offer him, our apologies suddenly taking a change. He smile's with his eyes softening once again. We just lay here contently in each other's arms for a few minutes, memories of last night's intimacy fill my head and I feel a warm sensation down below. I bite my lip trying to halt it in a half-hearted attempt, Billie taps my back lightly and I bringing my gaze back to his eyes.

"Up you get, yesterday was a big day but I get a feeling that today is going to be a bigger one," He sighs and remorse fills his eyes accompanied by the look of despair I remember seeing in his eyes the first time I saw him in my office, "Today I might lose Joe-" He cannot finish his sentence, chocking up on the idea of today possibly losing his son forever. It punches me in the gut as I realize that while we have been gallivanting and fucking around time has been passing, precious time that could have been used to get useful information to help save Billie's family; broken as it may be.

"Hey, hey, woah, woah, woah," I wrap my arms around him comforting him, "Don't say that, we aren't going to lose him, alright?" He looks up at me his eyes riddled with doubt and fear, "We have an idea of what they are after; where are the files?"

"My mother's house," by the way he says it I can tell his mother's house is quite the distance away; we have no choice but to get them.

"Come on then, looks like a road trip then,"

"I really need a coffee Nora," I look at him, his utter despair in his lost green eyes makes it very difficult to deny him something so trivial and small as a simple cup of coffee; surely we will have enough time for that. Looking closer at him his eyes are sad and dark rimmed, it is quite possible he has a hangover

"Alright, lets go get you a coffee and then hit the road." I break out of our embrace and take his hand trying to help him up. Once he is standing I try to turn around the shirt Billie leant me, after destroying mine last night, so I am no longer twisted in a mess of material. The shirt is about three sizes to big for me but I don't care, it's like wearing a hug from Billie. _Did I really just say that?_

Billie walks over to his dresser to check his hair and I let out a little giggle; _A rockstar must maintain his luscious locks no matter the situation_. I can see his eyes look at me in the reflection of the mirror and I turn away so I don't look like I am staring. A few seconds later I turn back around, when a man this good looking is in the same small room as you it is very hard not to look at him in secret. He lifts up the photo of his wife and stares at it, his eyes conflicted with anger and a deep sadness I never thought I could see in the happy, optimistic Billie Joe Armstrong. I watch him as he removes a gold wedding band from his finger and places the photo and the ring back on the dresser. He just stands there staring at them as his eyes begin to well with tears which he tries to blink back. He sees me in the corner of his eye and picks up his stick of eyeliner and begins to apply it. A stray tear falls down his left cheek and he pretends to wince as though he poked himself in the eye. I bite my lip and shuffle awkwardly looking away from him, he still loves her; _Of course he does you twat, they were married and had a child together, that doesn't just change overnight_.

He says nothing as he walks towards the door, and neither do I. The idea that last night was just a temporary ailment for the pain that has cut him so deep, stings my pride and dignity. Yesterday was one messed up day, everything went to absolute shit the moment he left my office. The car, the note, the lockdown, the apartment… _Oh god Abigail!_ I stop dead in my tracks realizing that Abbey would have gotten home from her long night at the hospital to find one trashed apartment and one missing Nora. _What if she calls the cops?!_ Billie has noticed I have stopped, I think he sees the sudden panic in my face because he comes over to me quickly, he cups my face in his hands, careful of my head injury, and scans my face searching for something to give.

"What is it?"

"My roommate, Abigail… The apartment…" I struggle to get the words out of my mouth for some reason, but Billie catches the drift.

"We can't bring her into this as well, I can't have more people to add to todays body count,"

"Billie nobody is dead-"

"Yet, come on lets get going, it's a five hour drive from here…"

"What if she calls the police?" he pauses momentarily mulling over scenarios in his head.

After a few moments he looks up at me, "Best case scenario she does call the cops and they come looking for you; I don't think anybody will think to look for you in my company; I mean a musician and a lawyer, we don't exactly pair up in society. Worst case scenario, she calls the police and then these sadistic bastards after us get her." I look up at him as he says the last scenario and dread fills me at the idea, I can't let this happen; not to Abbey.

"What if we go there now, tell her not to call the police and tell her everything that is going on?"

"Trust me I thought about it, but in the end it's a huge risk. Bringing another person in all this… it seems as soon as somebody gets a taste of the situation they are taken." I hate to admit it but he is right, nobody else can know about this, we need to lay low until we find these files. I strongly assume we are being followed so hopefully when we get the files they find us, take them and return Billie's family and friends and everything can go back to normal… well most things can go back to normal. I nod in defeat at him and start to walk outside, opening the door snow covers the ground in a thick blanket of white. I turn and face Billie, realizing the snow is going to be too deep to use the motorbike.

"What are we going to do?"

"Walk, there is a café on the corner, I can call a cab from there and get my coffee, then head back to my apartment and grab the car." _He already planned for this?_

"Sounds good, what's this café called?"

An ironic smile flashes on his face, "Misery,"

"Sounds charming," I say sarcastically, "Lead the way then…" I hold out my hand in front of me in a gesture you would expect to see in a bad Shakespeare performance. Billie laughs a tired laugh and takes my hand; it's not what I had expected but none the less I follow his lead.

The inside of the café suits it name perfectly with its black walls decorated morbidly with black and white photos in shattered frames. The dark mahogany tables are all carved and covered in graffiti and the black chairs are in much the same manner. The lighting is dim, just a couple dull orange light bulbs to light up the corners of the establishment and a blue neon around the register and kitchen. Billie watches me with mild amusement as I look around unsure of how I feel towards this place.

"Penny for your thoughts," He breaks our silence; I stare at him ironically before answering.

"Who died?" He finds the joke as morbidly humorous as I intended which is good.

"Quite a few people actually, the whole place is based on a tragic story of four strangers," He explains in his own free will, happy to tell the tales of this creepy café, "I can't remember the names of each of them, so for the stories sake Let's call them Virginia, Mr. Whirly, Vinnie and Gina-"

"Where on earth did those names come from?" I laugh, _Mister Whirly?_

"I don't know," He sort of smiles, "Anyway the story is, is Virginia was married to Mr. Whirly, she left him in Florida. Virginia had hitched a ride with a hustler, Vinnie. Mr. Whirly had followed Virginia, not quite so willing to give her up just yet, but when he saw Virginia get in the car with Vinnie, rage took over him. When Virginia and Vinnie had made it to Amsterdam, Mr Whirly waited for Virginia to fall asleep before he broke into the cheap motel room where he murdered Vinnie with a baseball bat." I listen to his story and watch the horrible images unfold in my head, piecing it together it almost sounds like it can fit to us perfectly, "Mr. Whirly stored Vinnie's body in the back of their catalac they had been driving and left a note to Virginia. The next morning Virginia found Vinnie's body and the note, nobody knows what the note said because she apparently burned it along with the body of Vinnie. She took the car and hit the road to New York City, where she met Gina, they became…_ Very_ close. Mr Whirly still hadn't given up his pursuit on Virginia and went to their dodgy motel room as well. He found the two girls in the same bed; Mr. Whirly cut the throat of Gina while Virginia watched. Mr. Whirly killed himself straight after, leaving Virginia in a room with two dead bodies. She ran, she took to drugs and about two weeks later she killed herself." His eyes darken as he mocks a scary horror story tale, "This café is built on the spot where the police found her hanging."

I am silent I do not know what to say to that, it is probably the most tragic and twisted love story I have heard. What kind of sadist of a café owner bases their establishment on that kind of story? Billie's face is set in a hard line, I think he too realizes how similar our story soon could be. He walks over to the register to order his coffee and I take a seat next to me. He walks back over and sits down in front of me, I do not say anything I can't bring my thoughts away from the morbid story I was just told. I get a chill, thinking of the poor tormented Virginia killing herself just across from where I sit.

"Why did we come here?" I whisper, looking around, the pictures on the wall playing out the story and I feel sick.

"They have great coffee." Billie Winks, I am silent and I don't really know why, it was just a story, but something seems to have struck a nerve, "Okay Nora, tell me more about you."

"What is there to know?"

"I don't know tell, you tell me." He laughs; I think for a moment, _There is nothing interesting about me…_

"Well my name is Adrienne Norella Middleton," Billie raises his eyebrows at me, I answer his silent question, "My father wanted to call me Adrienne but my mother wanted to call me Norella; after my father died she dropped Adrienne all together and since I was ten I have been known only as Nora." I shrug, I wouldn't say it's an interesting fact but there really isn't much to me. He allows this newly discovered knowledge of me sink in for a few silent moments.

"If you could have done anything aside from law what would it have been?" His question throws me, it really is completely irrelevant.

"Uh…Entertainment management," Billie screws up his face, "what?"

"Really… anything else and you would do management?" I blush under his judgement for some reason, I scold myself mentally for feeling so silly.

"I am not good at anything else, I know law and I know order…" I say quietly wanting to sink into the floor and disappear, I do not know why I feel so embarrassed by myself right now.

"Okay, let me rephrase," He pauses for a second trying to alter the wording in his question, "If you could be good at anything else what would it be?"

This stumps me even more than the original question had, I guess a lot of things. I think back to Billie performing, how it made me feel and how much emotion he could throw into a few lines of words that told a story. How I would love to be able to do the exact same thing to hundreds of people…

"Music," I smile coming out of my previous shell, feeling proud of my answer, "I would be a musician."

Billie is thrown by my answer, who would expect a lawyer whose career alternative is management would swing to the other side of her brain and settle for something creative and expressive. Lawyers are kind of known to be heartless, greedy bastards; but not all of us are like that. The smile on his face lights up again, like it was this morning when we woke up together, before the troubles of the day kicked into full gear. It's infectious, that silly, little-boy grin of his, he lets out almost a giggle and I feel myself mirror his expression. Two coffees are placed in front of us and the aroma fills my nose, taking my thoughts back to our scene in the elevator, tasting the coffee on his lips, in his breath. My mouth waters suddenly and I lick my lips, wanting to feel that same way as I had in the elevator.

"Thank you," Billie nods the waitress off, he picks up two sugar packets from the table and begins to pour the contents into the mug, I do the same, "I could teach you to play guitar, y'know?"

I blush at the idea, "That would be a challenge and a half," I laugh at myself, I have never touched a guitar before in my life. I know nothing about them I can only imagine that I could break it just by touching it.

"I am willing to give it a shot," He smiles over the brim of his cup as he takes a sip. With a satisfied _ah_ he licks his lips and places the coffee mug back on the table, His tongue missing his upper lip so a foamy moustache remains. I let out a childish giggle and he shoots me a questioning look, "What is so funny Miss Middleton?"

"You missed a bit," I point to his upper lip, His tongue begins to trace his upper lip, at first the display is quite humorous but now all I can think is how much I want my tongue to taste the coffee's froth off his lip. He winks playfully at me as if we are on the same seedy wave length.

"Here," He passes me a napkin and a pen, _Where the hell did that come from?_ "Write a song."

I just stare at him dumbfounded by his spontaneous request, I haven't got the first idea how to write a song, nor what to write one about. He pushes the napkin and pen towards me and I take it from him, I can tell by the look in his eyes that I do not have a choice with this request. I take the pen in my hand and start scribbling down what I hope could be half decent song-writing attempt, using the only other thoughts in my head aside from my sexual desires.I hand the napkin back to Billie and he scans it, his eyes widening with surprise. He takes the pen and makes some annotations of his own before he passes it back.

_Virginia was a Lost Lawyer lot lizard from Florida F.L.A, _

_She had a broken heart in her chest compound fracture in her trunk,_

_It started when she ran away,_

_Thumbs out on the highway interstate,_

_She hitched a ride to her death row Misery._

I scan the words and assume he has created a melody that I cannot depict. I look up at him and blink at him. His eyes look intense like he is really thinking the whole thing over; I assume that he is either judging what I have written or he is rolling with it and creating something useful out of it. I take a sip of my coffee and wait for him to finish mulling over the new words in his brain. He hums a melody that I am instantly captivated by. I fit the lyrics we have written to the melody and instantly fall in love with this song.

"Nora, you are a genius!" Billie exclaims, standing up, he picks up his mug and downs the rest of the boiling drink, he slams the cup down letting out a slightly pained sound, he fetches his wallet and runs to the register he throws down some money on the counter and comes back to the table. Without saying a word he pulls me out of my chair and leads me out of the café. He pushes me up against the wall and kisses me sweetly, his lips smiling, "Thank you, let's get going." I don't have a chance to say a word before he throws himself to the curb of the street and tries to hail a taxi. This man has more mood swings than a bipolar pregnant woman; for the most part he is happy, which is why when his eyes darken I can't help but worry. I make a mental note to try to work out why as soon as I can, but for now I walk up behind him and slip my hand into his back pocket letting my hand linger there. He flinches at first but relaxes and doesn't move my hand. Whatever my cruddy lyrics have done to him and to his now improved mood I am thankful, seeing him how so upset and distraught, in true, utter pain, was in itself torture for me to witness. Billie looks down at me and plants a kiss lightly on my lips, a soft romantic kiss like in the movies, a kiss that tempts to promise more.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The cab ride was short; the trip back to the apartment was even shorter. In fact Billie just ran upstairs to grab something leaving me in the foyer before returning with car keys. I waited out the front for him to collect me, and then a brand new BMW convertible rolled up. I got in to a smug faced Billie, and now here I am on an interstate, half listening to the static radio while my thoughts wonder to questions I want to ask Billie Joe. Looking over at him, he is focused on either the road or making a plan, who knows? Just another question to add to my list of things to ask him. He seems stressed, and I suppose that is understandable, I myself feel stressed; a whole lot of lives depend on our hunch. I shudder at the thought, only a hunch, Billie catches me in the corner of his eye and looks over at me. He tries to bring a convincing _Its-going-to-be-okay_ smile to his lips, but I can see straight through it. His eyes switch back to the road; he runs one hand through his hair and lets out a sigh before he grips the steering wheel tighter.

"Billie," I break our silence, he doesn't look at me as he tries to change lanes but acknowledges me with a '_Mhmm?'_ "At our first meeting, you said your apartment was trashed," again he doesn't meet my gaze and just gives me another '_Mhmm?' _"… When we had coffee at yours, well it didn't look very trashed."

"That wasn't the hotel I was staying at, that is my old apartment. The hotel room I was staying in was just across the road from Maddison Square, it is just easier to get to sound checks… well when you have a hangover and need the extra rest y'know?"

I just reply with an '_oh'_ and look out the window. The tension in the car is building, I have no idea why, perhaps the whole situation is finally sinking in; this is doomsday. Today decides the fate of Joey, Bella, Mike and Tre; either we save them all or they all die. No pressure but this hunch of ours better not be a dead end, because then these four deaths fall back on us. I cringe at the thought, four of them all in one room, tied up in a line, side-by-side waiting for us to burst into the room to save them, only to see a figure enter with a gun and shoot them all one by one.

Billie had told me earlier that seeing as he had fired me as his lawyer I didn't have to stay in this mess any longer; we both knew I was already in too deep here. I couldn't abandon him anyway, not in this situation, I still don't know why he even suggested it; but from all this building tension I can't help but think he just doesn't want me around. I've done all he needs from me, I inspired a song for him and I had sex with him; just an ailment, nothing more. I bite down on my lip, trying not to think like this; _you knew this was coming Nora…_ I see it in the side mirror before I feel it, but a tear is escaping from my eye. I don't want to make a movement that might catch Billie's attention; I do not want him to ask why I am crying, because frankly I don't even know myself.

"Do you miss her?" I don't know why I ask it, it just kind of slips out of my mouth. Billie just remains silent so I am assuming he didn't hear me, or he did and is choosing to ignore it.

"Yeah," he sighs, "we may have only just divorced two nights ago but we have been broken for years now. I don't know if that makes it easier or harder…" I don't say anything, what could I say anyway? Billie switches the radio off, I look at him, his expression blank. I do not understand anything at the moment, I don't understand the situation, I don't understand his feelings to his wife... ex-wife? For god's sake I don't even know that… Nothing makes sense and I am not doing anything to try to help. I am a lawyer for god's sake, throw me in a court room and I'll ask all the right things, put me in a car and I can hardly manage to get anything out of the accused but more confusion. Before I can contain it a few more tears roll down my cheek. Oh for crying out loud, I haven't cried for so long, why the hell am I crying now? My nose gives away my silent tears by sniffling. Billie looks over at me and his eyes widen as he notices the tears. He takes a hand off the steering wheel and intertwines his fingers with mine, making the tears even harder to contain.

"Nora, what's wrong?" His voice seems shaken; why? I don't understand. I just shake my head at him not being able to find my voice, he squeezes my hand, "Nora please, what is it?"

"I don't know," Finding my voice, its shaky and strained but it's there, I gesture a circle with my free hand, "All this…"

"I know Nora, I told you, you didn't have to come –"

"I wasn't going to leave you to face it all alone," I can't tell if I am angry or sad, frustrated or scared but my voice is raising a little bit, "Why would you think I would leave you after all that happened yesterday?"

"Nora –"

"I am not the kind of person to just drop such a huge thing," For some reason my thoughts drift off to this morning at the café, it was almost carefree the way we wrote a song and Billie told his story, a yearning for that simplicity eats away at me.

"Nora, please just –"

"We may have known each other for a bit more than twenty four hours but I am not just going to up and leave. There is no way in hell I am just going to abandon you; do you think so lowly of me to assume –"

"Adrienne!" I silence instantly as Billie uses my name, the one only my father called me before he died; I am too stunned by the sound of it, so foreign, to continue speaking, "I didn't want to bring you into this any more than you already are, I don't know what is going to happen today and I just… I can't stand the idea… I don't want you to get hurt; enough people are in the firing line already, I just…" He chokes up a bit, "You make it easier Nora, I have no idea why or how I just… You getting hurt, I just… y'know…"

I squeeze his hand and bring it to my lips, I brush my lips softly against his knuckles. He looks over at me for a brief moment before he raises the hand I just kissed and using his thumb, he wipes away a few tears. He looks back at the road in front of us, watching the black asphalt of the highway disappear under our car, he says nothing else but I can see he is trying to find something to say. I wouldn't say that the tension is greater than it was before, I wouldn't say there is any less of it either; it is just much the same. My spirits are slightly higher after what he has just said, but glancing in the review mirror to see a speeding black car with tinted windows so dark they might as well be metal instead of glass dodging and weaving through cars, seemingly trying to get closer to us, they are quickly crushed again.

"Billie…" as I say his name his eyes look into the review mirror and he sees the car speeding towards us, dangerously fast and dangerously close. The black car chasing us lurches forward and hits the back of our car. Our BMW swerves out at the back and I let out a scream.

Billie is fighting to control the car as we swerve dangerously, tires screeching in fear as they try to get a grip on the ground. Smoke begins to fill the air accompanied by the scent of burning rubber. Cars around us beep their horns and swerve trying to avoid our veering and apparently flaming vehicle. The murderous, black car hits the back of the car again as an arm is thrust out of their window, it all happens quickly but I think I catch the slightest glimpse of a gun. My fears are proven true as the car rams into the back of us again and a loud ear-splitting bang sounds just as our car hits the concrete barrier and with a sickening crunch the car stops. A delayed whoosh sounds behind me and the heat tells me that the car is now on fire…

I am thrown forward in my chair, my seatbelt choking me as it catches. I feel my head collide with something hard and feel sharp things cut into my arms, but I feel no pain. As my eyes drift, looking beside me I see Billie's head drooping limp; blood rapidly flowing from the side of his face. Fire has caught in the backseat and a mixture of panic and adrenaline seems to dull ache in my head, shoulder and the sting of the cuts, as I try to move it to free my seatbelt. I shout Billie's name and everything seems like it is now in slow motion. It's like a bad dream where you are trying to run away from the evil chasing you but no matter how hard you try to push yourself you don't get anywhere at all. I call Billie's name again and there is nothing to resemble even an ounce of life in him. Managing to finally free myself of the restraints from the seatbelt, I reach over to him, I try to search for his pulse but my arms forget how to move midway to his neck as the smoke inside the car fills my lungs, I feel my chest heave and contract violently, tightening while the poisonous air seeps into them, spreading the toxic fumes into my bloodstream like a vicious disease. I cough trying to free some of the deathly cloud from my lungs, trying to fight it to save Billie from the growing flames; but I cannot move as my chest heaves and the last of my air leaves my lungs with the final whisper of his name. I stare at Billie's lifeless, bloody figure, as all the colours blur slowly into a solid black. Breathe Nora, save him –


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Blinking my eyes open, all I can see is blinding light and if it wasn't for the excruciating pain screaming from the base of my neck, I would assume I am dead. I continue blinking my eyes open rapidly as shapes begin to form around me. The room I am in is all white, the walls, the floors, the ceilings; everything but the black-clothed, Blood-soaked silhouette of Billie. A choke surfaces in the back of my throat as I realize he is still unconscious. His head still droops limply, I can see his wound better now; a cut from the centre of his forehead to the bottom of his jaw, still oozes blood. I look at his chest, hoping to see a rise and fall to indicate he is breathing; only the faintest, shortest breath tells me he is alive. The pain at the bottom of my neck unexpectedly flares in an all-consuming explosion of heat and contracting muscles. I cry out in sheer pain, knowing no other way to let it out, I try to move, to run away from the pain, but the bindings around my wrists and ankles keep me planted in my spot. As the pain eats at me, filling my whole body my eyes blur with tears and Billie begins to stir. Panic and pain consume me in an overwhelming rage and I let out another roar, I lurch my body into the air hoping to snap the bindings, to escape my pain, to help Billie; but all I do is increase the hurt.

"Oh you are awake finally," A soft tingling voice, laced with an English accent makes its way through my burning ears, "Please, no need to stand."

"Help him!" I shout even though I don't know who they are; I can only take a guess.

"He'll be fine," a blonde haired, blue-eyed woman stands in front of me; Bella.

"Help him; he is not fine look at him!" I can hardly talk through the pain radiating from my neck and shoulder, but I don't care, "He is hardly breathing!"

"Oh," Bella looks at him, her eyes scan him with a mockery of concern, "My gosh, you are right, what was I thinking?" She turns around and yells at a cracked door, "Bring in the doctor."

She backs away from me and over to Billie, she traces her finger along the side of his face. I look to the door and nobody comes in, looking back at Bella she has moved over to a table covered in different knives and sharp implements. The door cracks open with a loud crack and Bella and myself turn to face the person now entering the room; Alex. Bella greets him with a sadistic grin and a kiss on the cheek. I try to suppress the pain that is threatening to take me back to the dark night in the land of the living dead. Billie lets out a weak moan, immediately grabbing my full attention; He moves his head tilting it to the side. Blood starts to seep from his wound and slide down his face and into his eyes.

"Will you two stop your sickening love fest and help him!" I snap, no longer being able to handle seeing Billie like this. Alex and Bella snap their heads to look at me, Bella looks offended and Alex looks down right pissed off.

"This bitch!" He drops out of Bella's embrace and grabs a knife without taking his eyes off me, "I am going to have fun now."

"Oh Alex, calm down, you know you are going to have more fun when Billie is conscious." Bella chimes innocently as I flinch away from Alex's knife which he is holding to my throat. He drops the knife to the floor and grabs a syringe from his back pocket and walks over to Billie. Alex stabs the needle into the left of Billie's chest, and I let out a scream. Alex lets out a menacing laugh as he injects the serum in the vial attached to the needle directly into Billie's heart. Billie opens his eyes instantly with a pained scream.

"What did you give him?!" I scream, while Billie sits tied to the chair convulsing as the drug fills his system.

"Adrenaline," Alex laughs as he watches Billie's body fight the drug in his heart. Billie's body falls completely still and I let out some kind of squeak; _Please, oh please do not be dead Billie, fight it you idiot, stay with me Billie._ As if Billie hears me he lifts his head up and tries to open his eyes but the wound on the left side of his head stops his eye from opening properly, "You wanted me to help him Nora, now he is alive and can't feel a thing," To prove his point Alex balls his hand into a fist and drives it straight into Billie's face, smashing Billies head into the wall next to him. Billie lets out a yelp of pain as his head cracks against the white bricks, leaving a fresh trail of dripping blood on the wall. "Well maybe he can still feel it a bit."

"Stop it," Bella interrupts Alex as he raises his fist again, he turns and looks at her, "Fix Nora," We both look at her with disgust in both our faces; I do not want this man to touch me, "You shot her it's the least we can do for her."

Wait what… shot me?

"She doesn't deserve that from us Bella," Alex advances towards her in a rage leaving me to see the side of his face which I had cut open with the glass, "Look what she did to me!"

"You can still move your face, Nora can't still move her shoulder because your bullet tore out her tendon; we aren't bad people Alex, please fix her shoulder." Well that explains the pain in my shoulder and neck. Alex reluctantly obeys Bella's order and comes towards me, taking a needle and thread and a few bandages from the table.

"Don't fucking touch her, you sick mother fucker." Billie growls, his voice dangerous and infuriated.

"Or what," Alex laughs as he preps the needle and thread, "You'll write a song about me?"

"You don't deserve that honour," Billie spits, "I beat you once and I will do it again just as easily."

Alex throws everything on the floor, his face red with anger, and storms over to Billie. He throws his fist into Billie's face, slamming Billies head into the wall again. He repeats his attack another three times before Bella interrupts again. Alex comes back over to me picking up the needle and thread again. Without any warning he shoves the needle through the skin starting at the nape of my neck; I scream out as the metal pierces though me. Billie shouts at Alex but I cannot hear his words over my on scream. Alex, frustrated, drops his medical supplies again as he walks over to Bella, he holds his hand out expectantly to her and she hands him the scarf she was wearing. Alex walks behind me and brings the scarf to my mouth; he pulls the scarf back hard against my lips until I am forced to open my mouth, instantly Alex ties a knot at the back of my head with the scarf so I am now gagged. He picks up the thread and needle and continues to stich up my bullet wound. Billie is very quiet and looking over at him I can see him fighting to stay conscious. Bella is walking over to him a smile on her face so fake she might as well be Paris Hilton in a dump.

"So Bill, how are things?"

"Are you fucking serious Bella," Billie spits blood at her, she gasps at his vulgar behaviour, "You send this psychopath after us, abduct joey and my friends, fake your own abduction and then you sit me and make me watch your boyfriend stitch up my lawyer; how the fuck do you think things are Bella?"

"We all know this bitch over here is not just a lawyer to you Billie. Were all your tour whores as pretty as her?"

"What are you on Bella? You were the one who cheated on me! I was fucking faithful to you. And do not ever call Nora a bitch again, or so help me god I will-" Billie doesn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Bella places her lips on Billie's. Billie tries to move his head away from her but he can't the wall, chair and his wound stop him from being able to remove his lips from hers. Alex stabs the needle through my skin harsher than before and I let out a muffled cry. Bella flies back from Billie bringing her hand to her mouth to wipe away the blood Billie had drawn by biting her lip. Bella slaps Billie across face as Alex finishes the stiches.

"Bella, think you could keep it in your pants for a few minutes?" Alex spits his voice as acidic and venomous as a snake's fang.

"Sorry Alex, that was just too fun,"

"Listen to your boyfriend," Billie spits, his voice slowly slurring together as the adrenaline starts to wear off. "Where is joey?" Billie asks her, trying to get to the point before he loses consciousness again.

"Why should I tell you? It amazes me you even care, Mister Evasive."

"Of course I bloody care Bella, he is my son!"

"Your son? Billie, you left me two weeks after his birth for a tour, you finally come home and he was walking. He is not your son; he never was and never will be."

"Answer my question Bella!" Billie shouts, I can tell he is outraged by Bella's words, but I am not sure if it is because she said it or because it was true.

"Safe, you twat, as if I would put him in any real danger."

"Why the hell are we here then? What do you want?"

"The files Billie, where are they?" Alex fills us in, part of me is relieved that we were right about the files but a bigger part of me can sense the gravity of this situation and knows there is no positive outcome from this whole situation.

"What files Alex? My old school report cards? I can promise you there is nothing there but a few failures."

"Your dad's files, he stole them from me and I would like them back."

"What fucking files?"

"I don't like your tone there Armstrong," Alex picks up another knife and brings it up to Billie's throat, "ever heard of the C.I.A?"

"Ever heard of me not giving a flying fuck about the government and its chess pieces?"

"Contain your bravado you asswipe, I want the files your father took from the C.I.A."

"And if I don't give them to you?"

Instead of answering with words, Alex looks at Bella who grabs a gun from out of her boot and puts it against my head. I hear her load the gun and prepare it for fire. I gulp and look at Billie as I try to cry out to him to save me, that the gun is loaded, but nothing aside from a few muffled noises escapes me. Billie's facial expression doesn't faze at all at the sight of the gun cocked and ready to fire a bullet straight through my skull. I whimper, no longer knowing what to do, but still Billie doesn't seem to care about the danger I am in. A nervous Bella steps in closer to me to try to show that she means business; trying to evoke some emotion out of Billie, but in doing this she frees the strap on one of my ankles. I don't hesitate to throw my leg out sideways and kick her straight in the shin. She drops her gun and jumps back, Alex and Billie watch stunned for a moment as Bella tries to put weight on her leg but just falls straight to the ground in a heap of pain. Alex regains himself and comes striding over to me, knife in hand ready to strike. I look at the ground near me and see a knife that Alex had dropped before; I wait for him to get closer. I only have one shot at this, I kick the knife's handle and the blade kicks up and slices the back of Alex's heel, cutting the tendon, making him fall to the ground. Alex falls unconscious after a scream as the pain takes him to a darkly peaceful place of the unconscious. Bella cries out Alex's name and yells a few insults at me as she tries to bring herself back to her feet.

I begin to kick the other buckle that holds my leg to the chair, until the buckle finally gives way and both my legs are free. Looking at the straps around my wrists I notice that my right wrist's binding is loose enough to slide my hand through. Only problem is that I cannot move my arm to free it without causing myself extreme pain. I suck it up and move my arm back enough to slip my hand through the binding. I cry out in agony as pain spreads inside me like a wildfire, tears spill over the brims of my eyes. I don't stop there; I use my free hand to unbind my other hand, trying very hard to see through my blinding tears and the seething pain. Finally free though I get to my feet and stride over to Billie, with one hand I undo Billie's wrists; he is watching me with amazement. Something snaps him out of his daze.

"Nora behind you!" I turn around and see Bella has found her gun again and is pointing it at me. I leap to the side quickly, jolting my arm and sending a fresh wave of agony though me, but her gun follows. I run over to her and kick the gun out of her hand before she can use it. I kick her in the chest trying to wind her so she is still long enough for me and Billie to make an escape. A hand grabs my good shoulder and I turn half expecting to see Alex.

"Come on Nora," Billie takes my hand in his and starts for the door, his other arm wraps itself around his other side and he winces, "Leave them, we have to get out of here."

I follow him but something is wrong, Pain begins to shoot up from my ankle and I can no longer put any weight on it. Falling, landing harshly on the tiled floor on my shoulder I cry out; still muffled by the gag which I have forgotten to remove. Billie takes the scarf from my mouth and I breathe in a refreshing gulp of air and try to push myself back up to my feet. My shoulder screams in protest as I move and suddenly my vision is a blur of doubles and black silhouettes.

"Nora, stay with me here, come on," Billie throws my arm over his neck and he winces as he shifts my weight onto him. The panic and fear in his eyes is all I can see as his hand slides around my waist, taking all of my weight, "stay with me Nor-"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The revving of an engine brings back my consciousness; looking around I am confused by the noise and I fear for the worst. There is no road near me, no pathway, nothing but dried, dead leaves and towering trees. How the hell did I get here? Where's Billie? Where is that noise coming from? Questions fire around in my head as I scan the area around me. No Billie anywhere, the rev of the engine sounds again much closer this time and I try to push myself up with one arm, seriously struggling. A motorbike emerges from the trees startling me, not sure if I should run or pretend to be dead. I am not ready for a fight, not in this state, hell not ever!

"Woah!" Billie's voice shouts over the motorbike as he cuts the engine and dismounts his bike, running over to me he lands on his knees, sending dead leaves and sticks flying, "Easy Nor, take is steady."

"Me… What about you?" I shriek, finally getting a good look at the newly acquired deformation on his face, "Your head Billie, we need to get you to a hospital!"

He laughs at me, "Nora if anybody is in need of a hospital its you, which is where I am taking you now; do you think you will be alright to hold on?" He tilts his wounded head indicating towards the bike. I nod and Billie takes my free arm and steadies me as I come to my feet.

"Billie, what are we doing in the bushes?"

"I had to find some means of transport, but I was too weak to carry you, as well as the attention we would have dragged. I had to leave you in here while I ran back to the street to find us a bike; there was a bike store about two hundred meters from right here." He must see the anger I have towards him for leaving me alone in the bush unconscious, "Please Nora, this wasn't my first choice, but it was far more dangerous to keep you with me when both of us are bloodied and half conscious."

"What if Bella had of followed us? I would have been dead!" I shout at him, making my head dizzy.

"You don't think I didn't make sure we weren't followed here?"

"How would I know? I was unconscious!"

"Nora please we don't have time, you are already starting to sway; I need you to stay conscious until we get to the hospital; please get on the bike."

I oblige despite my anger and throw my leg over the seat, my whole head spins and pain radiates from my wound; which despite everything is still bleeding. Sliding back to give Billie enough room he gets on the bike as well, kicking up the foot stand and starting the bike in a practised motion. I slide myself back up against him and wrap my good arm around his waist; gripping tight he throws the bike into motion. Clicking through the gears while he dodges trees expertly; I have many questions I have to ask him, but I figure they are going to have to wait until after this mess is over. I'm still angered about him abandoning me in the open like that but I suppose he has a point; we are so bruised and bloody, wounded and fading consciousness. Billie seems okay now by some miracle, no semi-conscious person could ride a motorbike so expertly through such dense bushland in that state.

We hit the road before I see it and the sudden smoothness of the asphalt is so soothing. The bike jolts lightly as Billie changes the gear again now we are gliding. I let the air fill my lungs and I physically and mentally feel myself relaxing. He did what he had to do to save us both, it was a risk, but one I am sure he calculated. I rest my head against Billie's back and he brings his hand and places it on mine. I am not sure if he is checking to see if I am still conscious or just holding my hand because he can; but I give his hand a reassuring squeeze.

We fly down the road, hitting a bridge which we seem to soar over, Billie hasn't let go of my hand yet and I admit I am amazed he is controlling the bike with only one hand. I feel I should let go, let him have full control of the bike but I can't bring myself to do that. I look over the bridge and across the water, the sunlight seems to dance through the ripples; the image is nice, it nice to see that in all this trouble there is still some beauty out there. Hopefully when it's all over I can share the beauty of the rest of the world with Billie Joe. Normally I would be scolding myself for thinking such a thing, but after everything it would be nice to share a bit of simplicity like we had in 'Misery'.

A giant building is just in the horizon, the sign popping up over it says 'Saint James public hospital' Something inside me sinks, seeping onto the bridge below where its getting hit by hundreds of cars. I squeeze Billie's hand, suddenly in fear. I hate hospitals, the place where the sick and wounded lie in anticipation to die. I cannot stand the idea of being on of those people. Billie leans into the off ramp and my heart begins to race, which is dangerous, it seems the more blood that rapidly flows through me aggravates the pain in my shoulder.

"Nora, what's wrong?" Billie asks as he cuts the engine in a free parking space in the hospital parking lot.

"Hospitals…" I can't finish my sentence.

"It's going to be alright Nora, you need the help," Billie removes his hand from mine and dismounts the bike, he holds out his arm for me to support myself while I try to get off the motorbike.

"I don't want to go in there Billie…" Suddenly my head is spinning and my shoulder feels like it is on fire. My vision is in doubles and I feel myself sway and my legs give way; Billie catches me.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

I stare blankly at the three men at the end of my bed, Billie Joe, Tré and Mike, who stare expectantly at me. Make a run for it? I suppose that would mean running out of the hospital without being harassed back into bed by security. We have unwanted company? Did Bella and Alex find us? Billie reaches and takes my hand; I look at it then up at his gaze. I can see the urgency in his eyes mixed with concern, hopefully about the idea of escaping a hospital with me so wounded. He traces his thumb along my knuckle as he presses his lips together in a hard line, I look at Tré who gestures for me to get up and watch as Mike walks over to the doorway to check it's all clear. I swallow, my heart in my mouth, and let out a hesitant breath. I cannot believe I am doing this, why the hell am I doing this? I press my lips together; mirroring Billie's and look to him for encouragement. He simply squeezes my hand, offering an encouraging smile, before he helps me out of the high rise equivalent of a bed.

"Alright, Tré and Mike, you guys go and get my bike, it's a brand new red Honda, and the keys are still in the ignition, and whatever the hell you guys came in. We will rendezvous out the front of the car park entrance in ten minutes. If we aren't there in time, you two get in the car and drive to my mum's." Billie instructs and the guys just nod and head out calmly into the hallway. I blink up at Billie, still groggy from waking up from my induced coma and confused as all hell. "Nora, Alex has apparently called in his friends from the CIA," I blink at him again drawing in a gasp, "I know it's getting ridiculous –"

"Getting ridiculous?" I almost laugh at him, "The whole situation has been ridiculous since you walked into my office."

"I know Nora, believe me I know, but it doesn't seem to be getting any less so," Billie sighs, looking down at his feet I can see a thought pass through his eyes before he looks back up at me, "I need you to focus, we can't show any sign of us being patients here. The nurses from before have left and nobody yet has come to check on us. If we cut these bands off our wrists and act like concerned visitors we might be able to slip past the other doctors and nurses. There are a few CIA agents wondering the place so we just have to keep our heads low and hope they don't find us."

"Why are there CIA agents here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Nora, so the only thing I can think they would be after is either the files or our heads. I hope to avoid either of those situations."

"Tea," Billie stares at me funny and instinctively checks my head for a temperature; I brush his hand away, "why can it never just be tea they are after, a nice cup of tea."

Billie laughs humourlessly and takes my hand; he mouths a question, asking if I am ready, I shrug indifferently in reply; honestly who knows if I am ready. With a quick snap my wristband is gone and so is Billies. I don't bother asking how he did that in one go each, we just walk towards the doorway. Billie stops abruptly and releases my hand. I look at him in question, to find my reply, he brings both his hands up to the white gauze covering his head and removes it, revealing a long line from earlier, cleaned and full of black stitches. He brushes his hair over the wound, hiding it from sight, we can't show any sign of us being patients here… Billie tosses the gauze into a bin beside the door, taking my hand once again. He pops his head out into the hallway and checks from side to side, he takes a step out of the doors threshold and I follow suit. We calmly walk down the hallway as elevators come into sight. I blush remembering our last elevator encounter. Now is not the time for such actions to repeat, but I can't deny that a big part of me right now would love a repeat. I extend my good arm and press the button and to my surprise the elevator door opens straight up, a nurse and a doctor step aside to allow me and Billie Joe to enter the lift. Billie nods politely at them and leads us both into the corner of the elevator. The doors close and it happens all at once. The doctor slams the emergency stop button while the nurse disables the sirens. Billie takes my hand and holds it behind my back using his other hand he digs his thumb into my shoulder making me fall to my knees.

"Nice work Armstrong," The Doctor says, "I will admit I had my doubts."

"Never doubt me Black," Billie scoffs at the doctor, who I am to presume is not a doctor, "you should know better."

"HA!" Black exclaims, "I should know better than to trust a criminal?" He slaps his head, "of course, how silly of me, Kravitz how's the mechanical?"

"All set sir, this baby isn't moving from anywhere but inside, and all traces of Billie Joe are wiped."

"Good job Kravitz. Looks like that record of yours just got deleted from the system Mister Armstrong, congratulations on no longer being a top criminal!"

I look at Billie completely bemused and confused by what the hell is happening right now. Who are these people, why is Billie doing this? Why… what?

"Adrienne Norella Middleton," Doctor Black says my name slowly, letting the letters dance around his mouth in some kind of victory, "The lawyer who always wins the case."

"What are you on about?" I spit, managing to talk as Billie lets off a small fraction of pressure.

"The Trilbury case of course," Black comes down on one knee to look me in the eye, "you must be one hell of a lawyer to let a notorious murdering, rapist of a drug lord walk free."

"What can I say, I am good at my job." I feel tears welling in my eyes, both from the pain of Billie still digging his thumb into my wound and from Billie doing whatever it is he is doing to me right now.

"Well Middleton, you let him get away and I am sorry, but that man is very wanted by the CIA, so I can't let him get away. He hasn't been located since the trial; you are the last person who was in contact with him. We need to know where he is Nora, so start talking or lover boy will make you." As if on cue Billie drives his thumb harder into my shoulder and I feel myself crumple in pain.

"Sorry, Client confidentiality still applies no matter who's asking." I gasp as Billie lets off the pressure.

"So loyal Miss Middleton," Black smiles sadistically, what is it with CIA guys and their need to torture? "You must really love your job. Such a shame you slept with your client."

"I don't know what you want, but I can tell you I have heard nothing of Mister Trilbury since the case ended. Mister Armstrong here took up my free time and some bastard, who I guess is one of yours, nicked my phone so I haven't been able to contact anybody." Suddenly everything all falls into place, I look up at Billie, his eyes suddenly cold and careless, "This whole thing was a set up wasn't it? That's why we couldn't take it to the police, it was being run by them. What about your wife Bella, she another one of the CIA's little tricks then? Joey isn't real is he?" Billie says nothing he continues to stare impassive, "you sick jackass."

"Well now that's out of the way," Black interrupts, "Tell us where Trilbury is, if you don't know that, at least give us his name."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I stare at them and they all stare blankly back at me for a moment, "You are hunting this man and don't even know his fucking name? How do you know you have the right guy?"

"We were at the trial; we didn't have a name, just an alias and a picture." Kravitz informs me.

"Are you going to talk Miss Middleton?" I ignore Black and turn to Billie, he looks down at me, his eyes still not giving anything away but for a moment, just a brief moment I see a flicker of sadness. It's just enough to give me something to work with.

"Billie," I start, "Tell me this whole thing wasn't a lie," He doesn't reply, nothing in his expression changes, "even you couldn't fake half the stuff you felt, what we did, that was real…"

"No Nora, that happened." Billie's voice is amazingly cool, and his words cut like glass and razors through me. It happened, it meant nothing to him. I refuse to believe it, what I saw in my office that was true despair, the true feeling of loss. I know that emotion; I've seen it on myself and my own mother. The way he looked at me all the time, you can't fake that. The way he is looking at me now, is a look a monkey could fake.

"No Billie, the song, do you remember that?" I see something flicker in his eyes, but it isn't sadness or regret, no it's something very different; rage.

"Oh Nora," Black interrupts again, "That is something you should not have said." For reasons I do not understand Billie grabs me around my throat, cutting off proper air flow, I struggle and gasp and Billie lifts me to my feet. I continue struggling to breathe as Billie puts more pressure than before into my wound.

"Billie…" I gasp finally as everything begins to fade, for a moment just a moment, I see a tear in the corner of his eye.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Billie lets go of my throat just before I pass out, but I close my eyes anyway. I don't want to look at this man, how can I? He has betrayed me; he has been playing me this whole time. All that I thought we could have become was nothing but a lie, whatever it takes to get what he needs. I don't feel any shame, and I won't apologize for it. Right now Billie is all I have, I have nowhere else to go, I can't exactly run away because I am trapped, in pain and lets face it, I have been victimized. I am here in this situation because I am the lawyer of a man who I was forced to defend through my job. I have nothing to do with his actual crimes, but yet I am here because of association. I open my eyes and for just a redeeming second I see the expression of regret and sorrow in Billies face. I don't let it fool me for even a second, but I hope he can fake it enough to get me the hell out of here. I look back at him, begging him to take me away; he blinks slowly and nods so slightly, just so I can see the yes in his expression.

"Armstrong," Black interrupts; Billie lets his gaze linger on me for a second before shielding his sorrow with the flawless demonstration of a soldiers face, "You may leave now."

"Mavis, I'll be taking her with me." His voice sounds dark and sounds more sinister than it should.

"No you will not Armstrong, your job here is done; we still need her." The Doctor, Mavis Black, waves his hand in dismissal and my heart begins to contract with fear. If Billie can't get me out of here, god knows what they are going to do to get information I don't have out of me.

"I know how to extract the information you require Mavis," Billie tries a little more desperately but his voice gives nothing away and now even Billie is scaring me, "No offense Sir but I have spent a fair amount of time and Nora has told me everything I need to know to be able to get what you want."

"Care to share your methods then?" Mavis calls on Billies bluff, but it does not deter Billie's charade. Billie nods once and turns back towards me, the look in his eyes is stone cold, I back my way up against the wall, my breathing increasingly heavier. Billie withdraws a needle from his pocket and holds it up for me to see. I want to scream but fear has me in a chokehold. I may not be a doctor but I know Billie, I know that he knows how I am with Novacaine. I back up the wall, trying very hard to escape this tight spot, but I can't get anywhere I am in a corner with Billie sinisterly advancing on me.

"I don't know anything I swear!" I shout in defiance.

"Not good enough Nora," Billie threatens me and my panic escalates dramatically, "You can do better."

"What do you want to know?" I try more desperately, if I have something to work off, perhaps I can create a liable enough bluff.

Mavis replies this time, "Where is he? Why did you defend him with the charges against him and how the hell did you get him sent free? Why the hell did you let him free?"

"Are you serious?" I stutter as Billie holds me against the wall, bringing the needle in a direct line with the side of my neck, "All this for that useless information?"

"Answer the question Nora!" Billie says in a harsh, cold, heartless tone but the look in his eyes is pleading, needing me to answer the questions but not for his sake, for mine. I shouldn't care what could happen to him if I don't, if he doesn't get what Mavis needs. And I suppose I don't, I am more worried about the needle being held to my neck with filled with a drug that makes me lose my own self-control or worse holds me unconscious depending on the dosage. Billie learnt that much from the night of the snowstorm and just before in the hospital room.

"I don't know where he is now, but during one of our sessions he said something about going to Georgia after all this mess is over," I don't mention it was to see his wife, to plead for her forgiveness, that he didn't do what he was accused of and that he loved her, these men would apparently stop at nothing to bring him down, "As for why and how, that's my job, it's what I have to do, whether I like it or not, whether I agree with it or not. I just also happen to be very good at my job, which is why he got away with it."

Billie holds the needle slightly further away from me and I breathe just a fraction easier. His moon-shaped green eyes stare at me, wide with sorrow and regret but now I can see a bit of relief in his eyes as well. I have seen him change his expression so easily and so convincingly in this elevator alone that I can't bring myself to actually believe him to be sorry; maybe this is just another way of getting "information" out of me, playing on the bond he forged between us. A bond so perfectly welded to my heart, that despite how much I despise him right now, I cannot seem to break, no matter how much I want to.

"Very good Armstrong, you could almost make a good agent. You may go now." Mavis dismisses him but Billie doesn't move, he just looks at me and stiffens his posture. He knows he has just shown my weakness and now can't even take me away from Mavis.

"What about Nora?"

"We still need more information from her," Now it dawns on Mavis, "Oh no Armstrong, have you developed feelings for her?" He spits his last three words in disgust.

"No," Billie says coldly and believable enough that I actually let out a whimper, nobody can fake such genuine disdain, "But forgive me if I don't like the idea of an innocent girl being handed over to the CIA to be tortured for information she legitimately doesn't have."

"This, Billie Joe Armstrong, is why you almost could make a good agent, Almost. But sadly that isn't how this works, you can't play hero." Billie lets me go and in a swift movement he drives the needle through Mavis's heart before he can react. Kravitz gets to her feet quickly and Billie backs away from her, a little less keen to actually hurt her in anyway. She lunges for him and he simply jumps out of her way.

Standing in the corner of this elevator I watch this violence unfolding. Mavis Black is laying on the ground, breathing but far from conscious and his breaths are short and irregular. Billie continues to dodge Kravitz's advances but Billie is tiring the wound in his head beginning to take its toll. I Watch Billie duck and leap away from Kravitz's punches with a rapidly decreasing skill. Though Billie doesn't deserve my help, I need to get out of here. While Kravitz has her back turned I drive my foot into her back. She falls to the elevator floor with a thud and a cry, but recovers ridiculously fast and gets to her feet straight away. I look at Billie who has stopped moving in surprise. I do not know how to fight at all and going up against a trained CIA agent probably isn't a good pick for my first attempt. I just hope Billie recovers from his shock and helps me out, it's the least he can do. Kravitz throws her fist at me before I have time to react, crunching into the bottom of my jaw. A hit to stun but considering the force she used the pain is quite mild. She is about to take another hit but I see it coming and manage to dodge it by millimetres. For a computer technician she knows how to pack a punch. Billie seems to recover from his shock and grabs Kravitz by the back of her shirt and pulls her away from me. Billie steps out of the way as Kravitz searches for redemption, throwing his leg in front of Kravitz's she trips knocking her head on the corner of the elevator, falling to the ground only semi-conscious. She tries to push herself back up to her feet but can't seem to do it. Billie hits the emergency door button and it opens, he grabs my wrist and leads me out.

As soon as we are out of the elevator I tear my wrist form out of his grip. He looks at me, his eyes hurt, but he doesn't fight to keep my hand, he doesn't try anything. He in fact stands away from me. I want to run away from him, I already feel my eyes threatening me with tears, but I cannot draw the attentions to myself. He used me, the bastard used me to get information; he hurt me and threatened me. How dare he?! After everything we have been through, this whole escapade of a lie. It all meant nothing to him, nothing at all; he just needed me to get rid of his criminal record. I can only imagine the kinds of crimes this asshole could commit and frankly I would lose my job rather than ever defend him. The tears spill over but nobody notices, Billie does but he is nobody to me anymore, I suppose in a hospital they are used to people walking the halls in tears. This is after all where people come to die, those people do have families. I storm away from Billie, trying to just get away from him, but he follows, keeping pace but keeping distance.

"Nora, wait up," Anger seethes through me, this man has some nerve, "Nora please." I don't say anything I don't slow down, he doesn't try again. At least he has the common sense to see I am angry at him, despise him, hate every bone in his body, and to know not to push it right now. I navigate my way through the hospital using signs and arrows leading to the exit.

Finally I reach the doors of the hospital, I run out of them, I don't just run, I sprint putting as much distance as I can between me and Billie Joe. The bastard keeps pace with me though, stopping suddenly I turn around and slap him across the face. He doesn't say anything he takes it, he knows he deserves it. Slapping him again his cheek flushes red from where my hand impacts, but still he says nothing. I slap him again and again my rage blinded by my tears, but he doesn't even move, he doesn't speak. Finally I just turn and walk away and this time he stays where he was until I have reached the curb.

"Nora, let me explain!" He calls out to me as I extend my arm to hail a cab. I don't give him any indication whether he should speak or not, I just watch him as he walks down, stopping in front of me. The distance in between us is slightly insane considering what he has done to me and how close he is standing; he seems insecure about it and takes a step back. "I am sorry I hurt you, really god dammit I am sorry. Originally the whole intention was to just bring you in, interrogate you and you walk free and my record is gone. When I left your office it all seemed simple enough, then you called me and I came to get you. When I saw the apartment I knew that the plan had been compromised, then I got to know you and I wanted this all to stop, I tried to get us away, but then Alex got in the way and they got us." I don't even blink at him; I don't care about his story, not after everything. He had planned for this in the beginning, he could never change his mind without consequences, he knew something like this was going to happen and he let it happen anyway.

"If you wanted to keep me safe, would it not have been better to just leave?" My tone is low and dangerously soft; he understands he is on thin ice with me and is thinking carefully about what he says.

"No, they would have simply sent somebody else in to collect you, you were safer with me."

"Yeah, is that so?!" I shout, "Look how that turned out!"

"I am sorry, it was never meant to. But if I let you go with Mavis he would have killed you for the information I know you didn't have. If I had of let on that there is something between us he would have killed us both. I had to stall and I am sorry I had to do that all to you."

"There is nothing between us and no excuse for what you have done to me Billie Joe Armstrong. Leave."

"I don't expect you to forgive me, but please Nora I need you to stay with me. You can hate me and I don't deserve this but I need you and I will take you by force if I have to." I stare at him in shock, is he seriously threatening me again?

"Why should I?" I spit and he takes a step towards me, I don't back away in fear, instead I hold my own, "You lied to me about everything, you brought me into all this because you are a selfish, self-centred musician!"

"Not everything was a lie," His voice goes soft and he shifts his gaze to the floor, "They did take my son, Bella was my wife."

"Then get Tré and Mike to help you. I am out Billie." I hold my hand out again in the distance I can see a cab, I wave frantically and it slows down.

"Please Nora, please just stay!" He begs and I can see the depth of his sincere apology, the absolute sorrow and regret in his eyes, the look kicks me in the gut with guilt and I can feel my anger leaving me very slowly, but leaving me none the less.

"Give me one good reason," As I say my words a cab finally pulls up, Billie doesn't have much time and he knows it. He presses himself up against the cab door, blocking me from the handle and looks me in the eyes.

"I think," He pauses for a moment trying to choose his next words carefully, "I think I am falling in love with you. I stare at him in disbelief, I want him to be lying because of what he has done, but I can see in his eyes that his words are sincere and I fear that despite everything I may also be in the same boat as him, "No I don't think I am; I know I am."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

I sit in the cab, not entirely alone. I allowed him to get in the same cab as me, and the man is smart enough to keep as much distance as he can in such a confined space. He hasn't said a word since I opened the door. The tension between us in this space can no longer just be seen but it can be felt, it is almost as though it is bouncing from between each other and off the interior of the car. I know that he knows he has stuffed up and done more wrong by me than anything on his criminal record, he knows to keep his mouth shut. Anything more than a breath from him and I cannot ensure the safety of anybody in this vehicle. I stare at him, my eyes burning hot against his skin, he senses my staring gaze and tenses his whole body as though expecting me to hit him. I should hit him for everything he has done, but the cuts and bruises already on his face stop me, he really doesn't need another. All this violence has happened to the both of us to get rid of some stupid criminal record.

"What was it Billie?" He raises an eyebrow at me pressing for more information, "What was so bad on that record that you had to have all this come about?"

He doesn't answer straight away.

"Nora," he finally begins, "I am not even sure where to begin, I suppose the main thing I wanted clean off the record was that at a secret show I had indirectly started a riot where nine people had been killed," we both wince at the same time, I am shocked he more so regretful at the images, "Then there are the countless bar brawls I had started that has hospitalized quite a few people and me on the odd occasion," I stare at him, I am not sure if my anger is growing to a dangerous point or if it is diminishing itself into fear, "Burning down three houses in one night though, I think that's the one where the CIA swooped in and offered me this; Had I not have accepted I would have been imprisoned for life when everything added up. I couldn't let myself leave Green Day, I couldn't let that shadow and burden fall on my family. So I took it, I didn't know you and once I had done my job, I was out and my record gone." He looks at me with guilt and suppression. Fuck. That's all I can think right now. "I know you hate just about every fibre in my body right now, but please Nora- Adrienne, please know that I see how much I have hurt you and I know this damage is never going to go away, I know well and clear this isn't going to ever be pushed under a rug, it will never have the luxury of becoming redundant. But Nora, this isn't what I wanted to happen at all, I mean what I said before we got in the cab, I stand by that whether you get out of this cab and never come back. You have had a rapid effect on me Nora and I know I am never going to be able to shake you out of my head or my heart. You can leave, I will understand, you may leave me Nora but I don't think I will ever be able to leave you."

I am dumbfounded.

I say nothing in response, instead I turn away from him once again and look out the window and watch the outside world fly past me, faster than a bullet train. I want to feel angry at him, he has royally screwed me over enough to constitute for nineteen lifetimes of being screwed over. But I am not mad anymore, I don't know what I feel, it is as if everything has just stopped, I don't feel anything. I am numb inside aside from a small molecule inside me that feels warmed by the idea of Billie falling in love with me. But after everything he has done; he lied to me, he let me be violently attacked to the point of near death, he himself attacked me, he used me to benefit himself and now has the nerve to confess his love for me, telling me he didn't mean for any of this to go the way it did?

But yet, with all that said; I still feel nothing.

Staring out the window, I have stopped seeing the roads and empty streets; all I see is me and Billie in that café together. Our carefree laughter, the mock intensity in Billie's face as he told his story, his pressing questions that made me shape the way I think. The song we wrote together. That is all I can see, that is all I want to see, life between us where complexity was out of the equation. He is right, there is no way any of this can be forgiven or forgotten and frankly I don't think there would be a rug big enough to shove it all there. The damage made is going to be one giant deformity that can never be fixed no matter the amount of surgery. The idea of looking past that leaves me as emotionless as before. I still feel nothing, not even with the images in my head from earlier in that café, for the first time in a long time I wish I could feel a damn thing. I remember him in the car before the accident saying how much of an effect I had on him and how he didn't want me to come along, that he didn't know what was going to happen, that the idea of me getting hurt was unthinkable. I remember the look in his eyes the moment he noticed a tear escape my own. I know he means what he says now and what he said then, and I know somewhere in my emotionally frozen self I feel much the same way about him. I just don't see how I can see past all that has happened and be happy in his arms like I had been at the damned café.

I look at Billie who stares out his window, one hand pressed firmly against his mouth, one hand rested on the seat in the middle of the cab. I stare at his free hand, slightly scratched and scarred and wonder…

Do I take his hand?


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Billie was silent for the remainder of the trip so far, I myself said nothing else. Billie Joe had told the cab driver where to go, so I have no idea where we are heading. The back seat of the cab begins to vibrate rhythmically and I look at Billie who is digging into his pocket, pulling out a phone.

"Armstrong," he says coolly into the mouthpiece and waits for a reply, "Mike, hey, yeah we ran into a minor problem with security but we are on our way now… You aren't at mums yet then..? What do you mean..? Okay well sort it out… I don't know either… Nora? Did you want to talk to her..?" He looks at me asking with his eyes if I want to talk, I look away not being able to hold his gaze. I want to talk to Mike, he hasn't done anything wrong by me, but while Billie is around I do not trust my voice. "She is a little bit out of it at the moment… she can't really talk… Seriously Mike she is struggling to keep her eyes open… Look I will pass it on but-… Right, well sort it out… I will pass it on to Nora… Good, how far away are you? What do you mean you are having car troubles..? Right well let's rendezvous at… Sure, see you there." With that he hangs up the phone and leans to the window dividing us from the cab driver, and instructs him to go to a place I didn't catch the name of.

"What was that about?" I ask my voice monotone.

"Mike wanted me to tell you that he hopes you are okay and that he found your phone. He called your roommate and told her you had to take an emergency flight to a new client in Paris."

"What?" I don't say it like a question; I say it like I demand more of an explanation. Billie for the first time in half an hour looks me in the eyes and reaches for my hand; I pull away slightly and he sighs.

"We couldn't tell her what was going on, unless you wanted her in all this mess to?"

"Of course that is not what I want, but why Paris?"

"Because that is where we are going now." As he finishes his sentence my mouth drops open, this has gone too far; Paris? I open my mouth to say something, anything, but no words come out and I just open and close my mouth like a nutcracker. "I know, Nora, I know, but something has come up and we need to get to Paris."

"What kind of something?" I ask and he shakes his head, looking in front of him and then back out the window, trying to silence the conversation, which I refuse to let go. He runs his hand through his hair, closes his eyes and lets out a stressed sigh, "What about Joey?"

"He is safe, Mike and Tré found him at my mums house, they said the same thing as they had said to your roommate and she is looking after him."

"You think that is safe?" I shout at him, catching the attention of the cab driver in the revision mirror.

"No, of course not, but at the moment it is the best we have got." He looks me dead in the eye, the green blazing with a mixture of stress and fury. The look he is giving me gives me Goosebumps all over and is undeniably piercing fear into me. This is the same look as he had tried to give me in the elevator before and I see now that his acting wasn't as stellar as I had thought it to be at the time.

"Why is it so important that we go to Paris?" Billie shakes his head at me and looks out the window again, this makes me mad, "Billie for gods sake give me something here, you owe me that much!" He closes his eyes with a pained expression but persists to shake his head in refusal to tell me what is going on. I know now that whatever it is, it is big and in soldier terms; he doesn't have the clearance to deliver that information.

I look out the window, finally dropping the mystery, to see signposts leading to nowhere but everywhere all at once. The one sign that catches my attention is the turn off we are taking to the airport. In no time at all I will be boarding a plane to Paris for some reason that I do not know the answer to. I look back to Billie who is still staring out of the window, still angry and stressed, and although he doesn't deserve it after everything I reach out and take his hand. He doesn't look at me but I see him visibly relax, his shoulders lower and his expression softens slightly; he squeezes my hand then loosens his grip and traces along my thumb with his. Though my gesture is only a small one I can see it virtually means the world to him right now. I have no idea why I care for him so much after everything he has done to me in at least the past hour, but despite everything I can't help it. Seeing this man in such despair seems to overrule everything that he had done to me and all I really care about is him. This stupid man waltzed into my life, ruined it and yet here I am in a cab holding his hand, about to jet off to Paris at a moment's notice. I guess this is what they call love.

"Billie-"

"We are here; hurry." He tears his hand away from mine as the cab comes to a halt and throws his door open. He passes a few notes to the cabbie and tells him to keep the change. I open the door myself and get out, being careful of my shoulder as I maneuverer my way out of the cab. Billie meets me at my door and takes my hand again and I let him. "Come on, Mike and Tré are already waiting for us at the boarding terminal." I merely nod as he, with a rapid pace, leads the way to the neatly presented flight attendant.

"Hello sir, how can I help you today?" the woman chirps softly.

"I need two tickets for the 6:17 pm flight to Paris." She eyes him curiously but types into her computer.

"I am sorry sir, but that flight is all booked out. I have two seats in first class but that is a five thousand dollar ticket per head."

"That is fine." Billie digs into his pocket to grab his wallet. I eye him with as much shock as the attendant; we both exchange a look at each other then look at Billie. He pulls a credit card out of his black leather wallet and looks up, his expression instantly furrowing at our curious glares. "What?" he looks at me directly, "Nora I am an international recording artist, five thousand dollars is hardly a dent in my account."

"Its ten thousand dollars Billie," I continue to stare at him, "surely that is going to make a dent."

"Nothing that isn't recoverable by the next concert," He looks at the flight attendant and passes her the card over, "the two tickets please."

"Sure thing Sir, what account was this on?"

"Credit, thank you." The attendant nods as she swipes the card through the system, Billie watches me, his eyes still burning with a fury that I can't understand, but aside from that he seems to have calmed down.

"Your seats are booked, please take any luggage through the bag check and head up to the boarding terminal. Security will tell you which terminal to go to."

"Thank you ma'am." Billie says as he takes the boarding passes from the attendant, he turns to me and takes my hand.

He leads me through the crowd of people to the bag check terminal. Obviously we do not have any bags with us so we just walk up to security and they point out our path to the boarding terminal. On our way here Billie had called Mike and Tré to tell them the only seats we could get were in first class and that we would see them when we landed. Billie hasn't said as much as a word to me since we left the attendant, his eyes furiously scanning every face in the crowd as if he is searching for somebody. We ascended the airport stairs to another attendant who is now leading us to the first class waiting area.

"Billie-"

"Not now Nora." His harsh tone hurts me; I stop walking and tear my hand out of his grip. He looks at me stunned slightly before shaking his head and continuing to follow the attendant.

"What is your problem Billie?" He stops walking and turns right around and storms back over to me, his body rigid and tense again and his eyes fury is burning more wildly than before. His dark black hair and blazing green eyes are like something of a murderer in a horror movie and I feel my stomach churn in fear.

"Now is really not the time Nora, now will you hurry up? I will explain everything on the plane, but we can't talk right now."

"Enough!" I shout and Billie winces looking over his shoulder to see who might now be listening, "Tell me what is going on or at the very least tell me what or who we are running from now."

"I can't," he speaks through clenched teeth and the sound adds to the churning fear already inside, "not here, I promise you Nora I will tell you everything on the plane."

"I am not okay with this Billie." I whisper, his proximity and glare becoming threatening.

"Neither am I, but this is the best I can do Nora." His voice softens and he lets out a frustrated sigh. His mood swings are becoming ridiculous, and I know I should be frustrated but honestly I am just worried for him.

We begin to walk and I can see the first class section door, opening already, an attendant stands with two glasses of champagne in hand. She passes them to me and Billie as we step through the doors threshold but something unpredictable is waiting for us, and to my disappointment it isn't a plane.

"U.S. Marines!" a soldier calls out in a harsh commanding tone, I drop my champagne glass and with an ear-splitting smash, glass litters the floor, "Take a seat Armstrong."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Marines?" Billie growls, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Armstrong, I am Captain Travis Archibald," One of the burlier, older soldiers says, addressing Billie, "we need to talk."

"well start talking then because I have a flight to catch."

"Angel," One of the soldiers, younger and with the face of a male model, standing beside me speaks up, addressing the Captain, "What do we do about the girl?"

"Sit her down and get her a fresh glass of champagne, the poor thing looks scared shitless."

"Wouldn't you if you were about to board a flight, to be harassed by Marines?" Billie snarks. Oh Billie this is no time for you to get sassy you idiot, these guys are Marines, you don't piss off Marines.

The male model takes me by the wrist, cautious of my wounded arm, and leads me into a separate room with a bar. He sits me down on a stool and pours me a glass of champagne, passing it to me, I pick it up without a second thought and bring the rim of the glass to my lips and tip it slightly so the bubbles kiss my lips; as I part my lips the bitter sweet champagne fills my mouth and I let out a sign of relief. The young Marine sits down on the stool beside me and places his gun on the counter, I don't know about guns but if my younger brothers war movies and video games are accurate it looks like an M-16. At first he doesn't look at me, he just runs a tanned hand through his black hair, long on the top with a small fringe and shaven at the sides, and sighs quietly before he turns his head to look at me. His features startling, his jawline perfectly square, his cheekbones defined and chiselled, his lips a perfect shape but his eyes are what take my full attention; Wide and silver. Not a blue-silver, just silver. It is terrifying and yet hypnotically alluring.

"Long day?" he asks, his voice, husky but not overwhelmingly deep, breaking me out of my trance.

"You have no idea…" I shake my head as I take a sip of my champagne.

He laughs softly, more to himself than me, "I am sure I might have some idea Ma'am." I blush remembering he is a Marine, he has seen war- who knows how many times- and fought day in and day out; of course he has some idea Nora. "if you don't mind my asking Ma'am, what happened to your shoulder?" he looks at my wound and winces as if feeling my pain.

I laugh softly and humourlessly, "I got shot by the CIA and almost died in a car accident at the same time," he raises his eyebrow in surprise, probably not what he was expecting to hear, "oh it gets better, the nice guys in the CIA took me to a morgue and tied me to a chair where they tried to re-join my tendons, but in doing that they started torturing Billie, we escaped but barely, then we went to the hospital, where they successfully re-joined everything but then also tried to kill me in an elevator."

"Quite the eventful day then Ma'am, there could be a Marine in you," his silver eyes scan my face curiously, "even some of the strongest Marines couldn't do what you have managed today."

"Just trying to survive," I shrug with my good shoulder and take another sip of the champagne.

"Like I said, there could be a Marine in you,"

"I like my job as a lawyer," I laugh, "What about you Marine? You seem to have had a long day yourself."

"Just got back from a three month tour in Iraq, as soon as we landed we had orders to come here and get you two."

"Why?"

"I don't have the clearance for the information, only Angel does."

"Why do you call him Angel? Not to be offensive here, but he doesn't seem very… angelic."

"It's short for Archangel, it is his call sign, he used to just be Archie but after he got ten of his twelve men out of a hostile situation in Afghanistan, he became known amongst everybody as Archangel."

"Okay, so Marine, what is your call sign?"

"Mercury," He pours himself a glass of water over the counter, "I think it is because I used to excel in chemistry and because my eyes are obviously a bit silver, like mercury, but I don't really know how it came about. It just did. What about you Ma'am, what do they call you?"

"Well I don't have a cool call sign or a military status or anything like that, but they call me Nora."

"I believe, Nora," Mercury pushes a stray hair behind my ear, "you deserve a call sign, you have been a true soldier today." His hand lingers on my cheek and for some reason I lean into it, inviting him to leave his hand there.

"Well Mercury, what would it be?" I ask him as steadily as I can as his silver eyes lock on mine like an Arial target system. He pauses to think carefully, his gaze never wavering from mine and his hand doesn't move from my face.

"I don't know," his image of my gaze has held me so hypnotized that I haven't noticed how close he has gotten to me until his lips brush against mine as he speaks, "I can't think of a word that could sum you up."

Before I have a chance to think about it, I press my lips against the Marine's and he instantly parts both our lips. His kiss is deep and longing, full of passion and relief; his perfect lips are soft and smooth. His hand on my cheek holds our lips locked and the feeling of his touch and kiss consumes me in a breath of ecstasy. His tongue traces the length of my lip, leaving a trail of desire in its wake. The way his tongue dances intimately with mine is different to Billie's kiss, Mercury's kiss isn't tainted with greed and shrouded with sexual desire, it is appreciative and passionate; the difference between the kisses makes a world of difference to me. I lean more into the kiss, mirroring the passion and need in Mercury's kiss and the ecstasy becomes overwhelming. Just as my body starts to feel light Mercury snaps his head away and with instantaneous reflexes of a soldier grabs his gun and turns around, gun pointed and ready to fire. I gasp in reaction and he looks back at me, his eyes apologetic but not regretful. He isn't sorry about the kiss, he is sorry it had to stop.

"Something is going on outside, stay here." I nod and he turns with Military precision and stalks out the door, when he opens it I hear nothing, just murmured voices, talking in hushed tones.

I spin around in my stool and lean against the bar, grabbing for my virtually full glass of champagne. I take a long drink, enjoying the cool burn as it fills my throat. Reality of what has just happened between me and Mercury sinks in and to my surprise; I do not feel as bad about it as I should. Maybe it is because Billie has been nothing but a jerk to me or maybe it was the hypnotic allure of Mercury's eyes. Or maybe instead of blaming everybody else, this is just me, emotionally and physically broken, finding something I need that Billie could not provide; sympathy and passion. I place my glass back down on the counter and let out another relieved sigh, just as I do the door opens and Billie walks in.

"Nora, how are you?" Billie's tone is monotone

"I am fine," I wave my nearly empty champagne glass at him and he nods, "what's going on?" He shakes his head at me; so we are back to this, "Look Billie, I am getting really sick and tired of you keeping information from me. You are damn lucky I followed you here, so stop being such a jackass and start talking!"

Billie's eyes go blind in fury, whether it is directed at him or me or the army of Marines I don't know but I feel like I am about to find out. He slams the door shut and stalks over to me stopping just inches from my face. I cross my arms and stand my ground. In a swift movement his eyes look to my lips and flick back up to meet my frustrated gaze. At this proximity I expect him to kiss me or hold me, but he does neither he stands here, tense and threatening.

"I can't tell you Nora, I promise I will but not with the Marines hanging around and hearing every god damned word of what I have to tell you. I want to tell you and Jesus Nora it is killing me that I can't yet, it's killing me to see how infuriated it is making you. I want to tell you Nora, but I just can't, not here, not yet, not until we land in Paris."

"Why Billie? Tell me why you can't tell me at least!"

"Because this is not something that I can talk about to you in a public place."

His words hit me followed by an aftershock of concern, "Tell me now, nobody is here to hear us, this is as private as it gets."

"God dammit Nora!" Billie exclaims and steps away, in his unexplained blind fury he punches his fist through the wall, "I can't fucking tell you! Can't you get that through your head?" I stare at him in shock, I have never seen such rage, especially in Billie, "I came in here to tell you we aren't getting on that god damned flight to Paris, we have to get the next one. The Marine assholes are making us miss it to find those god damned fucking files."

"Okay," I whisper quietly, not really being able to muster many words, stuck in total awe of Billie's fury.

"Okay?" he strides back to me, "That is okay by you?" The way he says it isn't asking me if I am really okay with it, it is more accusing me of something that I am not sure of.

"Well what else can we do Billie?"

"Nothing," With that he storms out barging into Mercury who has silently made his way back into the room, Billie apologizes in a forced whisper and Mercury raises an eyebrow at me.

"He's a charmer," Mercury walks behind the bar, "do you need another drink?"

"No, thank you,"

"So what is his issue?"

"I have no idea, he won't tell me, but something big is bugging him," I look up at the soldier in front of me, "I don't think he likes Marines to say the least."

"I gathered that," I watch his lips as he talks, remembering how they meshed so perfectly and intimately with mine, "Angel told me I might need to stay in the room with you while he was in here," he looks at me his brow furrowing in concern, "I guess that's why we call him Archangel," he studies my face, "are you okay?"

"Oh I am used to this," I wave my hand dismissively but it just makes Mercury's expression deepen with concern, "He will calm down eventually, it has been a bit stressful to say the least."

"You shouldn't have to be used to this, he shouldn't treat you like that," his gaze softens along with his voice, "someone as strong as you shouldn't have to have a wave crashing against a wall trying to knock it down."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you are strong Nora, that much I can tell, but there is no reason for you to put up with someone constantly making you fight your strength all the time. Even the strongest can fall."

"That's deep for a Marine,"

"I think you would find we are all a bit like that after a few tours."

I don't say anything else and neither does he, I step around the bar and wrap myself in his arms, burying my head into his neck. He encases his arms around me protectively and suddenly I feel safer than I have in years. I kiss Mercury's neck and I feel him look down at me so I return his gaze and move my head to meet his eye line. He tilts his head forward and to the left and I follow suit, our lips meet and the ecstasy of before returns instantaneously.

"What the fuck, Nora?" Billie's voice enters the room and I spring away from Mercury, who steps in front of me protectively. Billie shuts the door and storms over towards us, stopping at the bar entrance. His eyes glowing with fury, his body more rigid than I have ever seen it, his breathing heavy, I watch as he clenches his fist, ready to fight. Mercury, seeing the threat, puts down his gun and prepares for a fight, still standing protectively in front of me.

"Billie don't d-" I don't finish my sentence, Billie makes a step forward and Mercury meets Billie's fist, deflecting it and takes a shot at Billie's ribs. Billie lets out a breath of rapidly exhaled air, forced from his impacted lungs, but it does not deter him. Billie tries to go for Mercury's face but Mercury counters his attack by kicking out Billie's legs.

Billie pushes himself off the ground, taking a surprised step backwards. Mercury doesn't go to make a move at Billie, rather he steps back to cover me. Looking to his side Billie picks up a stray knife and prepares to make an attack on Mercury. With a whispered curse Mercury lunges over at Billie and in a precise manoeuvre he punches Billie's hand with the knife and cups the back of his neck, slamming Billie's head against the counter. I scream, and Mercury looks at me instantly, Billie takes the opportunity to finally take a hit against Mercury, and makes it a good one. Before Mercury's reflexes kick in, Billie swoops up the knife and slices it along Mercury's face. I scream again but this time I move towards Billie. Mercury stands to attention and catches me before I reach Billie who is starting to sway as the impact from Mercury's attack takes its toll. He stumbles back and sits on the floor. Mercury holds my shoulders, remaining extremely cautious of my already wounded shoulder and studies me. His lips are moving but I hear no words, all I can see is the fresh blood escaping the line Billie made.

"Nora, are you okay?" Mercury's voice sounds panicked and I realize he must have asked the question numerous times.

"I suppose," I stare between the two men, Mercury standing protectively and Billie slumped on the floor fighting to keep consciousness, "better than the two of you." Mercury laughs softly and wipes the blood from his cheek, which instantly begins to flow again.

"Angel is going to freak, we should all get out of here before he notices."

"We?"

"You and Billie need to go, but I am not leaving you alone with him."

"There are no seats on the plane left for you."

"I am a U.S. Marine, there is always a seat for me, come on go, I will get Billie Joe." He turns to pick up Billie.

"Mercury wait," he turns back to face me, "two things…"

"yeah?"

"Having you around probably won't help Billie's temper, so for the flight don't come find me and also keep your distance,"

"Yes Ma'am, your personal safety is now my number one priority." Mercury suddenly becomes military formal.

"And the second thing Mercury," His gaze so silvery and hypnotizing stares at me waiting for his next instruction, which is not an instruction, "What is your name?"

"It's Chase, Ma'am, Chase Xavier." With that he turns and picks up the semi-conscious Billie and starts heading towards the boarding passageway. I follow the Marine, Chase Xavier, his name dancing in my mind, Mercury. Billie's name dances in my mind, his eyes that brooding green, his voice angelic. Now I find myself in a situation going from bad to shit hitting the fan; I find myself falling for the two of them. How can one fall so fast for two people I will never understand, but how one finds her way out of this; I fear I shall never know.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Less than half an hour until we land in Paris and Billie is still unconscious. I look at the wound already on his face and see the new bruise forming around it. I feel mad a Chase for doing this to him, I suppose Billie had his rights to be mad. But I am just as mad at Billie if not more so, for striking out at Chase… That name Chase Xavier, it sounds like a movie star more than a Marine, his call sign 'Mercury' just doesn't do him justice. His eyes are impossible; silver? The image of them just won't leave my mind. This whole flight he has kept himself distant, he hasn't shown up at all and to my surprise I find myself looking for him anyway. It's nice to know that he isn't compromising my safety by having Billie blow up in anger again, but an annoyingly large part of me wants him to stop obeying my orders and come back; the flight has been far too long and far too silent for my liking. This whole flight and situation has made a whole new emphasis on the calm before the storm feeling.

"Miss Nora?" An air hostess quietly approaches me with a tray.

"Yes?" I answer hesitant; she smiles with relief and places the tray down on the table beside me. Two empty champagne tube glasses with a chilled bucket of ice containing a bottle of champagne is on the tray along with piece of paper.

"Compliments of the pilot." I stare at her in confusion, the pilot? She simply smiles politely and walks away. As soon as she is out of sight I swallow nervously and reach for the paper which reads:

_I told you there is always a seat for me,_

_I hope I am not flying to rough, it has been a while._

_If you are able to, come to the cockpit_.

Mercury is flying the plane?! Well I suppose that would be a very good explanation to why he hasn't made a single appearance, he is flying the plane. I look over at Billie expecting to see him still unconscious but instead I find him blinking his eyes open weakly. I put down the note with a disappointed sigh and turn to face Billie. He searches for focus and tries to find it on me; I watch his head sway as he fights to keep consciousness. His eyes fight with their focus but they hold one expression; I am sorry. The look seers through me and I forget all about Chase, I reach across the chairs and place my hand on his lap, he weakly places his hand in mine and the gesture stirs up old emotions. He stills his head but his eyes blink out of synchronization so I know that he isn't quite stable yet.

"Nora, I am so sor-"

"It's okay Billie, if anybody should be sorry it's me, I don't know what I was thinking. I am so sorry." I blurt the words out in a surprising hurry, but the words don't do justice to the regret I feel deep inside me, stirring like a toxic pot of guilt and regret. Billie closes his eyes and shakes his head slowly from side to side.

"I understand Nora, I was a jerk and I-"

"No Billie, nothing you could ever do could make what I did justifiable."

"Well I forgive you and I am sorry for lashing out at both you and soldier boy." I want to assure him he has no reason to be sorry to me, what I did to him was much worse than what he had done to me; but I see that this argument is pointless, he is sorry and won't let me be sorry, just as I will not let him. He has forgiven me a lot quicker than I deserve and somehow this makes the guilt inside me feel stronger. Billie starts to blink normally and he looks at me, his big, green eyes stare at me and for a moment I feel lost in a sea of green. I don't know what to say to Billie anymore, words don't seem to express what I feel anymore, so instead I just lean over and kiss him softly, he kisses me back just as softly and gentle and the kiss has a whole new feeling. If it wasn't for the turbulence and remembering the note from Mercury, I feel our lips would never have parted.

"I am going to see what all the turbulence is doing, I'll be back, probably don't have any champagne yet." I release Billie's hand after a reassuring squeeze. He looks as though he wants to say something more to me, but I turn away before he can, knowing full well that Mercury is flying the plane and apparently it has been a while. I want to check on him to make sure he isn't about to kill me and Billie and about one hundred other people.

I open the cockpit door and see the back of Chases head with the pilot headset on. He doesn't notice me enter, or if he does he gives nothing away. He flicks a switch above his head and goes back to steering the plane, hopefully on the right course. I take a moment to adore the cockpit of the plane, like a little kid who gets to see this all for the first time. The lights on the buttons flash in harsh juxtaposition to the black of the night sky, like the planes very own galaxy of colourful stars. Screens light up in front of Mercury and something about the whole atmosphere is magical.

"Captain, we are experiencing a fair amount of turbulence," I say with my voice still in awe of my surroundings.

"Nothing to be worried about," he laughs, "Glad you could make it,"

"Thank you for the champagne, how long until we land in Paris?" suddenly something in the atmosphere feels wrong.

"My pleasure, about fifteen minutes until we land, which is why I was hoping you could make it in here, I wanted to give you something before we landed." I look around the cockpit trying to see what it is that seems out of place.

"Mhmm," I sound distracted as I search the cabin and Chase notices, he turns around to look at me, his eyes, so silver, are lit desirably by the screens and I feel my heart clench with desire, "what is it?"

"Don't get too excited," He eyes me sceptically as he passes me a note in one of his millions of pockets, "It's just my number, after we land I will be keeping my distance, you will not see me unless you run into trouble, which is why I am giving you my number. Only call it if you are in trouble."

I finally notice what is out of place, there is a crack in the cockpits closet with the shine of a shoe poking out of it, I hold my breath and open it. I let out a scream which I try to silence quickly and turn to look at Chase.

"What the hell Chase," I shout through clenched teeth, "Why are there two unconscious bodies of pilot's in the cupboard?!"

"It's not what you think, One is a known terrorist and the other is an ex CIA agent, they were either after you two or wanting to crash this plane, either way it's lucky I was here."

I don't say anything, instead I just turn and walk out the door, Chase calls my name out but I am too shocked to respond. I look over to the seat where Billie sits waiting for me to return and my unease settles almost instantly. I walk back over to him and he holds his hand out for me to take before I am even seated. I do and as I go to sit down he pulls me back over to him and I fall into his lap, he kisses my cheek and heart begins to race. I turn to look at him and he smiles brightly up at me, my heart melts and I remember the simplicity and love I felt for this man, not at all that long ago.

"I really am sorry I haven't told you anything yet, but please, there is a reason I have to be careful with what I have to say to you."

"I understand, and I am sorry Billie." I place my lips on his softly again and he kisses me back just as gracefully and I am suddenly consumed with complete lust. I do love this man, every last bit of him and I hate myself for ever second guessing that. I deepen the kiss and Billie does too.

I wouldn't know how long we have sat like this, our lips locked in a passionate and redeeming tango, our bodies pressed together in a warm embrace; but Mercury's voice fills the sound system alerting us that we will now be landing and all seatbelts are to be fastened and lap trays put up. Billie lets out a low moan as we break apart.

"Just wait till we get a hotel room," He winks at me and I let out a soft giggle as my cheeks flush red with anticipation. The pressure of the cabin begins to drop as the plane begins to descend and I grip the seat tightly for security, I am not the best flyer. Billie notices my distress and reaches over and takes my hand reassuringly, the gesture is again a small one but the feelings it brings with it are comforting enough to distract me from the possibility of a plane crash. I close my eyes as the tires hit the runway with a bounce, the landing makes me squeeze Billies hand tightly, "Nervous flyer?"

"You have no idea,"

"Well, we have landed, it's all over; we will have to meet Mike and Tré at the terminal somehow."

"In all this mess, I forgot they were on the plane!"

"Admittedly so did I, just remembered then." Billie kisses my hand the plane comes to a stop and I try to help him up and keep him still. We begin to exit the plane with the assistance of the flight attendants, and for some reason I feel the urge to look back in hopes to see Chase. Billie raises an eyebrow at me for my pause but I just shake it off and he doesn't ask.

As soon as we are in the baggage terminal we search for Mike and Tré, Billie hasn't let go of my hand but has coaxed his phone out of his pocket and is dialling either of the two boys. I scan each face hoping to see the overly happy face of Tré or the concerned face of Mike; I come up short and can't see either of them. Somebody grabs me from behind and I turn quickly to face them, tearing my hand from Billies, ready to defend myself; only to see the bright lit face of Tré, with a watchful Mercury keeping his distance behind us.

"Tré, you asshole, don't do that!" Billie growls at Tre, who puts both his hands in the air and takes a step back.

"Bill, are you going to be alright to perform tonight?" Mike chimes in cautiously.

"Oh yeah man, no sweat, just a scratch you know."

I stare at Billie and Mike and Tre, they are performing tonight? Is this what Billie wasn't telling me? That he was stealing me away to go to one of his shows?

"How about you Nora, how are you feeling?" Mike asks his expression riddled with genuine concern.

"I could use a lie down," I sigh, considering I only met these guys a day a go, or was it two… three? It doesn't matter, the amount of places I have been rushed around to is ridiculous. Suddenly gun fire rips its way through the terminal and screams mix with the bullets creating a concert of fear. Billie Grabs my hand quickly again and pulls me quickly over to the cover of stairs.

"Looks like that nap is going to have to wait Nora."


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Bullets scream through the air, whizzing here and there, pushing their way through walls and I stand here in the middle of it all wrapped in Billies arms. I have managed to drown out the screams of terror and most people have fled the scene, a few have been wounded by stray bullets, but Billie and I are the targets here. Dust flies off the concrete stairs as the bullets get threateningly close to us; I grip tighter to Billie, fearing for both our lives. Billie places his lips on my forehead and holds me as tight as he can, fearing of letting go and sensing this is the end. We can fight but not against bullets, not against the cowards who stand so far away firing aimlessly. I let out a cry, as I feel Billies body lurch violently followed by the rapid flow of blood soaking through his shirt. He stands stiff and his breathing shallows rapidly, I look up into his Green eyes expecting to see fear or pain instead I see a message… _Goodbye_.

Billie goes completely limp and falls, I catch him in my already existing embrace before he falls and suddenly my cries stop, the gun fire ceases and everything goes eerily still. I hold in my arms Billie Joe Armstrong's lifeless, limp body and I feel and hear nothing; I am numb as I stare. Slowly I kneel down and lay Billies body on the floor, I stare at him for a second before my heart drops to the floor as I fall into Billies chest. I scream out his name, hoping to wake him form the dead, and the sound rips through the silence. The scream is so full of pain and sorrow that it is more horrifying than the sound of bullets. I cry hopelessly into his chest, my tears soaking the material of his shirt.

"Billie," I whisper peeling my head from his chest to look at his face, "Oh Billie don't do this to me, don't be dead, stop it!" I slap him across the face, trying to shock him out of this which only fails and my crying becomes more intense, "No Billie, Come on, Come back to me, Billie please… don't go," My voice catches on every word as I choke out my pleas for him to come back to life, "Please Billie, I love you…" My head falls back into his chest and I wrap my hands in his shirt, my body heaves with my sobs as I say Billies name over and over.

I cry like this for who knows how long until finally somebody comes and grabs me by the shoulders and rips me away from Billie. I am to numb to fight them, to numb to stand, to do anything. I just stare at Billie, just I had laid him there, he hasn't moved. Whoever has grabbed me spins me around forcing me to look away from Billie and at them instead; Chase Xavier. He says something but I hear nothing to shocked and lost about what has just happened to register anything. He ducks quickly, so fast I barely noticed he moved and I assume the gun fire is still raging on. Chase comes back into my vision and yells something at me again, but still I don't register. He pushes me backwards gently to the wall and sits me down. I watch him as he takes his M-16 in his hands and he begins to return fire, the shooters try to avoid his bullets but Mercury is too experienced. I stop watching as the first man hits the ground dead. I close my eyes and think only of Billie, him smiling, the sound of his voice as he sang, those green eyes so wide and caring stare at me. I cry and even though my eyes are closed I feel tears slide down my cheeks as the memories of our times together.

I hear Billies voice calling my name, telling me to open my eyes and I oblige; only to find Mercury in front of me calling my name, not Billie. I let out the breath I didn't realise I was holding in cry of disappointment. Chase brings his arm around my waist and throws my arm over his shoulder and hauls me to my feet. I look over at Billie and two people are crowded around him. It takes me a second but I see the mourning bodies of Tre and Mike. Now that the gunfire has stopped, and thanks to Chase it has ceased permanently, ambulances and paramedics swamp the place, helping the wounded and moving the dead. Two paramedics rush over to Tre and Mike as the two band members stand the paramedics kneel beside Billie and start working on him; at least that is what I think until they pull out a white sheet.

"Nora focus, we have to get you out of here; I know it is hard but we need to move, there is nothing we can do for him." With that my legs stop moving and I cry, knowing there is nothing I can do to stop the tears I just stand and cry. Chase picks me up, scooping me into his arms and holding me firmly to his chest, he begins to run and as we rush past Mike and Tre they look at me, both of them in pure shock, tears streak their cheeks as well. Very soon they are far away figures and the rain from outside the airport soaks me instantly, the raindrops mix with the tears and the cold of the water chills me until I am shivering. I don't care though, I hardly notice it; Billie Joe Armstrong is dead.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

A week has passed since the incident at the airport happened, a week since Billie Joe died in my arms. For a week I have stayed in a little hotel here in Paris with Mercury and every night for a week I have found myself crying myself to sleep in his arms. Even though I have only known Billie for a short amount of time, I am struggling to go about my day without him. I know it is stupid, and now I suppose it is now irrelevant, but I love him… Loved him; and now everything seems dull since he passed.

I left the apartment this morning to go the small coffee shop on the corner, a place I have become familiar with and a place that reminds me of mine and Billies little café Misery. Every day I come here and the main thing I spend my time thinking about is contemplating whether or not to fly back home. I always decide not to, there is nothing for me back home anymore and so I just decide each day to live a new life here in Paris, Mercury has pulled a few strings and gotten me all the things I need to start living here; money, passport, citizenship all that. Chase has been there for me the whole week, he gets worried about when I go out by myself, I can understand why but the worry is not needed. I take the coffee from the barista and hand over the money and take in my surroundings once more; the similarities to Misery are uncanny.

I walk out the doors and look down the street, a figure with black scruffy hair is walking towards me with their head down. The person makes me want to both break down and cry as well as run to them and embrace them. They are wearing black skinny jeans and a black shirt, wearing their hair the same way as him. They look so much like Billie Joe that I almost believe it is him; but he is dead. I feel a churn in my stomach as I think back to that last moment he looked at me with his big green eyes. The person looks up and I am somewhat disappointed that they have brown eyes and overly high set cheekbones and a thin face.

I still can't believe Billie is dead, and I had him in my arms when his heart stopped beating from the bullet that had shot through it. I believe it happened, I know it happened, I just refuse to accept it. We have so much unfinished business that needs to be done. Finding these stupid files that cost Billie his life is a main one. Chase had told me what the files were, they are some plans for a mass nuclear weapon that with one bomb could blow the entire US to smithereens. I could see why the CIA would be after that, everybody knows they are all corrupt, but I don't see why they would kill the only man who knows where they are. I don't understand why they would have to kill anybody for them.

Mercury had given me a phone the day after we landed; a phone which only contains his number and Billies. It has started to ring and checking the caller ID I am stupidly disappointed to see it is Chase not Billie. I answer the phone anyway.

"Bonjour,"

"Hey, glad you answered!" Chase exclaims overly excited, "I need you to get back to the apartment. We are going out today,"

"Are we now?" I sigh; I do not feel like going out, this coffee store is going out enough for me, "where are we going then?"

"We are going to the Eiffel tower." With that Mercury hangs up and I am left listening to radio silence. I pocket my phone and against my will head back to the apartment sipping my coffee in defiance. If I want to see the Eiffel tower with anybody it would have to be Billie, seeing as Billie isn't here I do not want to see the Eiffel tower.

After a gruelling discussion with Chase about my utter lack of enthusiasm for this outing I lost the debate and after a silent cab ride I stand beneath the Eiffel tower, looking up at it from the bottom, drinking in its magnificence. It is a cloudy day here in Paris, but the first day it hasn't rained, but in honesty I wish it was raining; it is as though the skies are mourning with me. God I miss Billie, him and his stupid goofy smile, his snide remarks and his secretive nature. Though I found it all irritating then, I miss it more than anything now. Oh Billie, I think to myself, I miss you, I love you, I need you, come back to me. I fight back the urge to cry and Mercury sees it, he places his hands reassuringly on my shoulders and knowingly gazes at me.

I am glad I have Mercury here with me in all honesty; he understands what I am going through like nobody else. He has told me stories of his time during war, about his friends meeting the same fate that Billie had, he had held them while they died in his arms as well. If anybody understands what I am going through it is him, and if anybody is going to be able to help me through this it is him. I asked him about his time serving under Angel, and he told me he was there in the situation that gave Captain Archibald his call sign Archangel, he said the two soldiers that died where his two best friends. When he told me the story his face was cold and hard and I wondered if that was how I was going to be as I thought back on Billie Joe's death; the answer is most likely going to be yes and that thought saddens me.

The elevator to the top is virtually empty and I find that a bit unnerving. I despise elevators now, Billie has ruined them for me; with him my time in elevators were either extremely good or extremely horrific. I bite my lip as I remember the experiences both relied on Billie holding me up against the wall. I look over at Mercury guiltily but he just stares at the levels as they go up continuously. Everything reminds me of Billie, it is getting out of hand, finally the elevator stops and the doors open. The chill is instantaneous, so high up in the crisp Parisian air I feel my heart beat suddenly pick up. I step outside and breathe in the air before I let myself soak in the view, which is more beautiful than even word can manage. The whole of Paris seems to lie between my feet and I feel that much closer to heaven; to Billie.

I walk to the edge of the viewing deck completely absorbed by the world so far below me; I see why this place is so clichéd. The beauty is captivating, I can see almost the entirety of Paris from just this one spot and for a moment, just a moment I feel free, like nothing has changed as if Billie is right beside me. But after that moment passes I realize he isn't here with me, and everything I need and want, I want from him but I can't have him, I never can because he is dead. I blink back the threatening tears and turn to find Mercury, he isn't far away, he is never far away and within seconds of seeing my expression I am enveloped in his arms and that same security from the very first embrace is still there and I unfold in him. I let myself cry and he just strokes my hair and holds me tightly to him; I feel stupid for acting like this when the view is so stunning, the whole place is and all I want is Billie with me.

I miss him so much, too much I think to be sane, I hear his voice whispering to me, his angelic voice singing, the words flow through my head, _Today is the first day of the rest of our lives, tomorrow is too late to pretend everything's alright now,_ I listen to the words and as I focus more on them they seem to grow louder. I lean deeper into Chase's chest my tears becoming overwhelmingly bountiful; I keep listening to the memory of Billie's sweet rock voice_. Bloodshot deadbeat and a lack of sleep, making your mascara bleed, tears down your face leaving traces of my mistake_. His voice is right in my ear now, the breeze whispers against my skin as if he is really there; it's official I am insane. _If you live with me, I'll die for you and this compromise…_

I spin around quickly, snapping out of Chase's embrace to see where Billie is, his voice sounding much too real, much too alive. But I can't see him anywhere, he isn't here, but after those words and the much too real tone of his voice, so close, burning ice against my ears; I feel myself fall to the ground, closing my eyes as tears pour out over the brims. He is dead, he is dead, for god's sake Nora he is Dead! I feel Chase take my hand and pull me to my feet, I refuse to open my eyes, I refuse to keep crying. I take a few steadying breaths and open my eyes, but the person who picked me up doesn't look like Chase. The mysterious person places their lips straight on mine, their kiss passionate and urgent, wanting the kiss, needing the kiss; the way their tongue dances with mine is all too familiar. Their lips are ice cold but I feel the pulse in them. I open my eyes in shock and leap away from them, and find myself staring at Billie Joe Armstrong, a dead man kissing me on top of the Eiffel tower.

"Nora Middleton, will you Marry Me?"


	18. Chapter 18

I blink and he is gone.

In Billies place is Mercury, staring expectantly at me; did Chase just ask me to marry him? Is he serious? I shake my head at him and whisper no, he looks at me in complete bewilderment to my rejection, but then he looks behind me and shrugs in confusion. Now I am the one who is confused, he asks me to marry him, I reject him and he shrugs it off nonchalantly and turns his attention away from me completely, completely unaffected. He still isn't looking at me, he is just stepping away from me, going to the edge of the Eiffel tower and leans himself against the railing. Is this how a soldier handles rejection, as though it never happened? I walk over to him and he shakes his head, smiling down at his feet.

"What is so funny?"

"Turn around stupid,"

"Don't call me stupid!"

"Then turn around and you won't be stupid," He laughs.

"Do you want me to leave, is that it?"

"No, just turn around,"

"I'm not going to,"

"Turn around Middleton, that's an order!" He barks in his military tone.

"I am turning around, not because you want me to, but because I can't stand to look at a jerk who barks orders at me." With a huff I turn on my heel and stop abruptly almost falling flat on my face.

Billie stands smirking at me as he reaches out and to my utter surprise laces his fingers solidly between mine. The heat radiates off them and my first thought is 'he is here' and my second thought I don't register before I use my free hand to slap Billie across the face, the sounds cracks against the wind and the contact on his skin is warm. His shoulder is in a sling but suddenly the midnight black of his hair clouds my vision and my whole body feels light and then the floor kisses my face with a less than pleasant feeling.

My eyes blink open groggily to the image of my ceiling fan, my bed soaked in a pool of sweat. It was all just a weird dream, I breathe a sigh I intend for relief but it is tainted with harsh disappointment. My head hurts for some reason, I must need something to drink. As I sit up my head spins out of control and I feel myself falling back, being caught midway by an arm.

"Easy there Middleton, you had quite the fall up at the Eiffel tower, you might have a mild concussion." Mercury informs me gently; so that all happened then?

"Billie?" I ask, not sounding very weak but not myself either, I think anxiety has taken me a little bit.

"Yeah he is in the living room, I can get him if you l-" I cut him off and leap out of bed, ignoring the swirling world around me; he's alive, he is really alive? Joy lurches me forward, keeping me focused in this spinning world. I burst through the door into the living room where a mildly shocked Billie turns around in his chair looking startled. He immediately gets to his feet and walks over to my now frozen body. The smile of his glows from across the room and through the fuzzy haze my brain has created.

"Adrienne!" He exclaims excitedly and I melt as he calls me by my real name. I feel faint, I don't know if it is from the concussion or the overwhelming idea that he is back! He brings his arm around my back and holds me close to him, and I wrap my arms around him. I am defenceless against the tears of joy that find their escape from my tear ducts. I feel my chest heave as I gulp in breaths, catching the smell of Billie in each one. He is here, he is alive, he is here, he is alive! I repeat it over and over again, each time bringing forth a fresh joyous tear from me.

"Oh Billie!" I rasp, my words choked from the excited and relieved breaths I draw in, "How? Oh god Billie Joe!" I know my sentences aren't sentences, but I am too darn relived to care. I don't understand how he is alive, but I don't care, he is here, he is really here!

"I am so sorry, Adrienne Norella Middleton," His voice so soft whispers its way into my ear and I melt into his chest, finding a comfortable place to never leave, "I wanted to find you sooner, but the hospital wouldn't let me go and when they finally did I didn't have your number. I just saw you heading to the Eiffel tower by chance and I… Jesus Adrienne I am so sorry."

"Shut up you fool!" I laugh, my joy still paramount, "You are here now, impossibly you are here!" with that I kiss him, lustfully, joyously, passionately. Our lips embrace and our tongues dance together but everything seems to be in technicolour now that Billie is back, really back. I can't contain my smile, it breaks our lips tight embrace but alas they do not part. I feel Billie smile as he kisses me too. I let out a giggle, my happiness impossible to contain and break apart the kiss, just to look at those big green eyes.

"I am one lucky man Adi," I laugh as he gives me a new nickname, I try it out… Adi… I love it!

"Yes you are, I have no idea how you survived that shot!"

"I suppose I was lucky then, the bullet went deep into my shoulder blade and bruised my heart sending my whole body into shock which made me look dead, but I was talking about you." He bows his head level with mine and stares me right in the eyes, I take a sharp intake of breath as the blazing green holds me hypnotized. "You never answered my question Miss Middleton…"

"Which question?" I rack my distracted fuzzy head for a question I left unanswered, but come up short.

"Adirenne Norella Middleton… Nora… Adi…" He closes his eyes and steadies his breath before he takes my hand and kneels on the ground, I gasp, "I love you, I know our time together has been a short one, but being dead gave me some time to really put in perspective just how I feel about you and hell Nora, I love you more than music, more than air, more than life itself; that all has no meaning now without you. Adrienne, will you allow me the honour to call you my wife? Will you marry me?"

I let out my breath and tears of so much joy pour down my cheeks, I can hardly see though them, I am shaking with joy and excitement and I don't know if I can actually use my vocal chords at the moment… "yes," it comes out fairly normal, "My god Billie… Yes!"

Billie stands coolly, his smile spreading from ear to ear; he releases my hand and pushes a stray hair from out of my face. He cups my cheek in his hand and brings his lips to mine, "I love you," he whispers as his hand drops away for a moment before returning to my hand. His fingers trace each of mine before stopping on one. He presses his lips gently against mine as he slips a cold ring around my finger.

"I love you," we whisper in unison.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

A whole day has passed since Billie appeared back in my life, a whole day since I have been his Fiancé. Joy still dances inside me, and I cannot sleep; it is Midnight here in Paris, the most beautiful time of the night. The air is cold out on this balcony and I hold my wrap tighter around me, letting out a shaky cold breath leaving frost hanging in mid-air. The view is beautiful in this apartment, it looks over the whole of Paris almost, I can see the Eiffel tower almost in full. Lit up like the thousands of stars around it. It is breath taking and I only notice now, now that my life is back in technicolour with Billie back. Billie… My Fiancé… I stare at the ring he gave me, four diamonds on either side of a large diamond in the middle, elegant and simple, I love it; I love him. My husband to be is asleep in our bed, resting his bruised heart.

I have been told he will be performing here in Paris tomorrow night, and hopefully nothing stops him. I love seeing him in his element on stage, I may have only seen him in rehearsal but he looked so at ease, so comfortable and right now I think that is what he needs; some peace. I hold in my hands my backstage pass for tomorrow night and I fail to contain my excitement, I have never been backstage for anything in my life, let alone my Fiancé's concert. Never in my life had I expected any of this to ever happen. When I started my law degree I was prepared to commit to a lonely, dull life; it was never even an idea that the CIA and Military would be after me and my client, my client who I am now to marry, for some nuclear files that had been taken by his father and the father of my previous client. I let out a humourless laugh, who would expect their life to be like this?

The sliding door opens slowly behind me and I turn, a sleepy smile fixates on Billie Joe's face, "Hey,"

"Hey yourself," I smile at him, this man wants to marry me! Excitement jumps around inside me.

"What are you doing out here, it's freezing?" to emphasise his point he lets out a shiver and brings me into a hug.

"I couldn't sleep," I sigh as I feel the warmth radiate of Billies chest.

"Mmh?" He groans sleepily, "Why is that?"

"I am too excited to sleep," I blush, I hope he doesn't take that badly.

"Why would you be too excited to sleep Adi?"

"Because you are here, you are alive, the concert tomorrow night," I bite my lip nervously, "you want to marry me…"

"That I do Adi, and to my surprise you want to marry me to," I hear him smile.

I look up at him, "why is that a surprise?"

"After everything I put you through, after everything that has happened recently. I was convinced you would want nothing to do with me, and so I figured knowing that, I had nothing to lose. I love you Nora, and had you have said yes or no, nothing would have changed that."

"I love you Billie don't worry, I wouldn't have stayed through it all if I didn't."

"When I first came into your office I wasn't expecting I would fall in love with you, let alone be lucky enough to be on this balcony in Paris with the consent to take your hand in marriage. I would have asked your father first but I think even if he was still alive he would have said no."

I feel my heart sink just a fraction, allowing tiredness to catch up finally, at the idea that my dad won't be here to watch me marry the man that I love, "Come on Billie, let's go to bed." At first he is excited by the suggestion but he sees the growing weariness in my expression and instead places his arm around my hip and leads me back inside.

Now that I am back in bed with Billie I can't sleep again, it is just too exciting to for one be sleeping and two, this is my Fiancé. I shudder at the thought that not that many hours ago I thought he was dead, I had him die in my arms but the confusing aspect remains that he didn't die. Needless to say do not want to risk that, and all this week I have had the calm before the storm feeling. Every little bang or crash I hear around me I can only think; oh come on! Even now with Billie back something feels wrong in the air, everything is to still and quiet.

I hear Mercury stir in the other room, he doesn't really stir in all honesty, I hear him gasp and the bed smack against the wall as he throws himself awake form nightmares. He did it all week when we were alone together, recollections from the war, is my guess, but I never really asked him. I feel bad every time I hear his rapid breathing through the walls, whatever his nightmares are of they really tear at him. A man so young already go through so much terror and there is nothing I can do, or maybe there is. I wriggle out of Billies embrace and he doesn't wake, he just stirs and rolls over. I sigh at the sight of him, he looks so peaceful and relaxed which as of lately is not something that has been easy for either of us to achieve.

I tiptoe out of the door and into Mercury's room, hoping the click of the door handle hasn't frightened the edgy soldier behind it. I slowly open the door and whisper Chases name, hoping that the sound of my voice puts him at ease. Luckily it has worked, Chase looks at me from his seated position on the bed, he is covered in sweat and his blankets and pillows lay strewn in a mess on the floor. He looks relieved that I am here and he extends his arms out for a hug, I hesitate but I hug him sensing right now that is what he really needs. His hug is desperate and yet at the same time thankful for the embrace.

"What is it Chase?"

"Nightmares," he sighs, his voice still shaken, "it's a common thing for a soldier, we just have to get used to them."

"Nobody should have to be used to this,"

"All part of the job, I suppose it's the only really down side of it."

"Killing people isn't a down side?"

He shakes his head as he breaks apart the hug, " What do you think the nightmares are about?"

"I don't know, war stuff…"

"Well yes, it is either me getting shot or watching others die and every time it happens there is never anything I can do, because they aren't dreams; they are memories in technicolour."

"that's horrible, have you been shot?"

He nods and begins to turn around to show me the scars, the moonlight from outside traces his outline; like a halo highlighting his every muscle. He points to a scar in his shoulder, "This one was from Iraq," he moves his hand to the side of his ribcage, "this one was from that situation with Angel," he turns back around and leans back exposing above his pants line in the minimal light of the room to a fresh, still healing wound; I gasp at the sight, "this one was from the airport, which is by far my biggest feat,"

I don't know what to say, here I am feeling sorry for Billie, who has been shot once, when Mercury has been through that pain, which I can sympathise with, three times. At the thought of the fact that everybody I have been around has been shot because of me. Why the hell do people stay with me? I look down at the ring that Billie has given me, why does Billie stay with me? How many times have I been around him that he has been hurt? I shudder at the memory of Billie being tortured back at the morgue. A tear comes to my eye, these two men in my life have been shot and injured because of me and my stupid job and my old client.

"I am so sorry Chase, I am so sorry you came into all of this."

"It's okay Nora, it's my job to be here now."

"Angel's orders right?" he nods in reply and wipes the tear off my cheek,

"I can handle anything that is thrown at me," he says quietly and I miss what he is trying to say.

"Adrienne!" I hear Billies voice come through the walls next door and both me and Mercury leap off the bed to our feet and rush into the room next door, Billie is sitting bolt upright breathing heavily. As soon as he sees me he gets out of bed and comes over, pulling me into yet another nightmare relieving embrace. "Jesus Nor, I thought you'd left, I thought I lost you."

"I am here Billie, I heard Chase have a nightmare so I went to see if he was okay," I push myself out of his embrace and look between him and Chase, "you guys need to get a grip tonight, everything is okay." As if on cue a gunshot sounds downstairs and seconds later smashes into our room. We all duck instinctively. Chase gets back up and runs out of the room as me and Billie shuffle behind the bed.

For god's sake why can we not just have some time alone together without somebody trying to kill us? Billie holds my hand and brings me in close to his body, it is comforting at first but then I remember the last time I was in close to him and there were bullet being fired. Chase bursts back into the room with his M-16 in hand ready to fire back, he looks at me and I give him a look of panic. I have already seen what the killing does to him; I don't want it to happen to him anymore. He gives me a look of knowing but presses forward, signalling for me and Billie to lay low but leave the room. He doesn't give us a chance to reply as he hides himself in the shadows of the curtains, Billie leads me into the hallway and Mercury opens fire.

As we reach the door leading out of our apartment Billie looks through the peek hole to check to see if we are clear to go. Gun fire still rages from the bedroom and for a moment I think of the effect this will have on Chase later, I don't understand how somebody so haunted by death can continue to kill. Billie opens the door and I am brought back to our situation at hand, we have to get out of here somehow. Looking at Billie I can only see his apology and concern, I cannot bare to look at him like this, not after the last time we were under gun fire, I lean in and kiss him. He kisses me back, both of us getting strength from the kiss. As we break apart we step into the hallway, checking cautiously to each side we go left.

A concerned neighbour bursts out of their room startling me and Billie; we throw ourselves back instinctively. They start shouting at us in French which I struggle to keep up with but from what I catch they are annoyed about our late night disturbance. With a crack of gunshot they still, a trickle of blood comes out of the corner of their mouth and they fall lip. I am too stunned to move, to speak, to breathe, to do anything. I find myself staring down the barrel of a gun held by a man in a Military uniform; different to Chase's. A shot fires from behind me and hits the enemy soldier who falls to the ground, not dead but maimed. I turn expecting to see Mercury with his gun cocked but instead I find Billie holding a small glock, his eyes expelling his murderous intent.

"Come on Adi, there will be more coming," His voice is low and dangerous, his words drift in a morbid ease as he looks at the wounded soldier, Billie seems more annoyed than remorseful.

"Where did you get that?" my voice is distant, distracted.

"Doesn't matter, come on," He takes my wrist and begins to pull me forward, but I stay where I am, my body merely shifts as he tugs.

"Chase… what about Mercury… we can't leave him alone… killing-"

"Adi," Billie wraps himself around me protectively but somewhat rushed, "we had suspected they would come for us eventually, we had a plan in place but we need to move."

Billie Joe leads us out of the building through exits and back doors; we take another left into an alleyway and run. We come to a fence and scale it and as we land we hit the ground running. I follow Billie paying no attention to our surroundings. Police sirens wail in the surrounding streets, if we all make it out alive I cannot wait to see the news reports on the suburban war that broke out between a sole American solider against a small collection of the French Army. Finally we stop running and enter a seven-eleven, Billie grabs my head in his hands and kisses me. We are both exhausted and breathless from running and this somehow makes the kiss more intense.

"Chase should be here in ten minutes and if for some reason he isn't we will have to move on." Billie's voice is cautious and weary as he retreats from the kiss. I feel myself pale at the idea of losing Chase, having left him alone to save the two of us; the idea of that… I couldn't live with it. "Hey Nora, come on… he is going to be alright, the man survived worse situations, he will be here. We are all too young to die, don't worry. Carpe Diem Adrienne, don't think of this as another death wish just think Carpe Diem." Billie kisses me softly and quickly on my lips… Carpe Diem? How can I seize the day if everybody is being shot at? I let my eyes drop to my ring; Carpe Diem.


	20. Chapter 20

Standing inside the seven eleven I scan the shelves with no intention to buy anything. I try to listen in on Billie's conversation on the phone but I hear nothing but airy whispers. I am pretty sure he is talking to Mike or Tre, I mean who else would he talk to at a time like this? He stops pacing and tenses his entire body in one harsh movement; he runs his hand roughly through his thick black hair and spins around to face me, his eyes wide with an unreadable expression. Just as soon as he had spun to face me he turns back around and whispers something harshly into the mouthpiece of his phone. Curiosity and an undeniable sense of dread fills me, I don't know what the cause of his sudden distress is, but it cannot be good. My breath hitches as Billie slowly puts his phone into his pocket, he doesn't take his hand back out, he doesn't lift his drooped head, he doesn't turn, he doesn't breathe; he just stands statue still and stares at the floor.

I walk up to him hesitantly, fearing the unknown, I have seen Billie in some hard times and never once has he been this shaken up; this is a man who has been shot to what should have been death. I reach my hand out and place it on his shoulder, as soon as I do I feel his body flinch and I know this is not good. I whisper his name in an unspoken question but get nothing in return. I bring my body in closer to his but still Billie doesn't move. I do not know what has possessed him to stand here like this and I cannot for the life of me find the words to consolidate his unspoken pain, so here we stand in the middle of the seven eleven doors which continuously open and close. I look at the staff who seem bewildered but make no move to question us. I am not sure how long we stand here but I feel Billie shift his weight slightly and I move away just a fraction to let him readjust.

"We need to move," he whispers so slightly I can barely make out the words, he steps out of my embrace without looking at me and exits the doors; I follow.

"What about Mercury?"

"Either he got held up or worse." He chokes up slightly on his last two words and my heart sinks. I don't think Mercury could have made it either, it was just one man against basically an army. Even his professional marksmanship could only hold up so well, just one stray bullet could go through his heart. Is that what made Billie so dead still? Did he somehow know? Or was it something different? To freeze up like that in complete shock and loss- Joey?! His son, has something happened to him? "Adi, you need to move now."

"Sorry," I start to move and Billie turns and checks wherever we are heading is clear, "Billie what happened? What's wrong?"

He stills sharply, "It's nothing to worry about right now."

"Billie I am your fiancé, you have to tell me these things."

"Not now Nora!" he barks in a hushed yell, I am taken aback.

"Is that your catch phrase Billie? 'Not Now Nora', because I am sick to death of hearing it."

"Nora…" He sighs both frustrated and defeated he brings his hand to the back of his head and runs it through his hair as he walks over to me, he is standing his face just a fraction away from me; I am forced to look him dead in the eyes, "Adrienne, please, please know that I want to tell you everything right at this very instant but it isn't safe here right now. When we get a chance to be alone and safe I will tell you, but the one thing I can tell you is you are not going to be happy."

"Is it Joey?" I ask quietly in a small voice, looking up at him through my eyelashes biting my lip anxiously. He pauses and licks his lip and looks down at the ground before looking back up at me, he pulls me into a hug; a rare embrace.

"No," he whispers in my ear his voice just as small as my own only t is tainted with an ominous tone of sadness and guilt, "we have to keep moving Adi, we have to Rendezvous at Mike and Tre's apartment." I nod as Billie pulls away; he kisses me lightly on the forehead and takes my hand. He looks at me as with his bitter and frustrated defeat and I can see there is so much he wants to tell me and just how badly he wants to.

"Come on then, lead the way." I squeeze his hand in my sudden understanding of his secretive nature. He smiles weakly back at me before his face grows dead serious, remembering there are people trying to kill us, well Billie anyway, but in killing him its killing me; life is redundant without Billie in it, that much I know.

Ten minutes of walking and a half an hour cab ride later we find ourselves standing at Mike and Tre's apartment which to my classic literature humour is apartment 221B. I look at Billie whose expression is still dead cold. He knocks on the door and we wait hand in hand for it to open, he looks down at me and his expression drops to something softer and more apologetic, it sends my stomach into a tight knot; the last time his expression changed so dramatically yet so subtly was when he sent me into an ambush. The door opens and my breath hitches anticipating an attacker only to find a small enthusiastic Tre wearing a kilt and a matching beret holding some bagpipes under his other arm. I sigh in relief.

"Billie Boy, you found her!" he exclaims as he pulls me tight into a hug, I laugh softly, I didn't realize I have missed this kid.

"Didn't Mike tell you?" Billie asks genuinely confused, as Tre pulls away I see his expression form into a mockery of insult and anger.

"We are not speaking to each other." He huffs, Billie just sighs and shakes his head.

"Jesus guys what is it now?"

"We were working on that song you started and I made one little mistake on the drums and Mikey lost his shit at me. He said I can't even play the drums."

"Right," Billie lets go of my hand and pushes past Tre into the living room where Mike sits on the couch with his bass in hand, tapping away without an amp making a _dirnt, dirnt, dirnt_ noise with each note. Billie slaps the back of his head and a shocked Mike turns around ready to yell at Tre but finds Billie standing there instead and immediately shuts his mouth, "Tre is the best god damned drummer there is, you got that?" Mike nods like a child in trouble, "good, now go apologise to him and grow up we have more important issues to be worried about right now," he pauses staring threateningly into Mikes eyes, "Don't we Mike?" Mike nods and walks over to Tre and me now that we are both in the apartment and apologises, Tre gets a smug look on his face and returns the apology. Content he hadn't been the first to apologise. Billie is standing next to a bedroom door and when I catch his eye after watching the humorous exchanging of apologies, he gestures me inside.

"I believe we have to talk," I nod, the whole situation growing serious again, "Mike come on man I believe you have something to say here as well."

Now I am confused why is Mike coming in, isn't all this going to put him in the same danger that me and Billie have been trying to avoid getting our loved ones messed up in? All three of us walk into the room hearing the complaints from Tre who is left to his own devices in the living room, which of course means badly played bagpipes. Billie sits down on the bed and taps beside him for me to sit down; Mike stands near the door as he shifts uncomfortably dreading whatever it is he has to confess.

Finally Mike speaks and Billie takes my hand, my heart is hammering against my chest, this can't be good, "I uh… I have your phone Nora and your roommate called… and uh… Jesus Bill I can't do this; you're her fiancé for god's sake, you gotta tell her this man." With that he walks out of the room and I look at Billie, my heart now in my throat, this is really not good. The bagpipes in the background are silenced followed by a groan of pain from Tre.

Billie looks down at his hands and bites his lip a bead of sweat slithers its way down the side of his face. I look at him, eyes not wavering from his tormented face, I want to say something to encourage him on but my own heart has strayed its way to my throat stopping words from escaping, my mouth just moves like a nutcrackers. Billie sighs and finally looks at me his expression is strong but wavers slightly the second he sees my expression.

"Good news," he smiles faintly at me, "your roommate is pregnant with her boyfriend's child and they will be getting married in the fall," I gasp, still not sure if that is good news or not, "the bad news though," he pauses and chokes up, I prepare myself for the worst, "It's your mum, Macy," I nod to encourage him to continue, tears welling in my eyes, this has no good place to go. Billie can't look me in the eyes anymore and I can see that the burden on his shoulders is too much, "She has passed away Adi," and I lose it, my heart sinks back into place and stops altogether, the remaining tears spill down my cheeks but no more follow them, I forget how to blink, I barely remember how to breathe. I hear Billies voice faintly and I try to listen but I am to taken by the news to absorb his words, "Her friend Maggie came around to visit her knowing she wasn't feeling well and found her in her bed. She had died in her sleep. Adrienne I am so sorry this had to happen, I am so sorry to have to tell you-"

I get to my feet and leave the room, walking from memory, not knowing where I am going but away from here. Billie is calling out behind me I hear him reach the door before Mike stops him, Mike seeing that right now I just need to be alone to let the news sink in. I am an orphan now, my mother died and I wasn't there, I am still not there and I can't be there now because people are trying to kill me. While I have been gallivanting around the world with Billie in this stupid mess my mother was lying in her room dying until whatever it was took her. She is dead, I am alone.

Suddenly I am outside, snow is falling and the sun is rising, it should be beautiful but now it's just a morbid joke. I collapse on the ground, my knees push their way through the thin layer of snow and the road underneath it cuts through my skin. I just sit there, frozen, feeling nothing.

"Adrienne, oh love, it's going to be alright," Billie sits in the snow beside me wrapping his arms around me; I can tell he is beyond worried right now. Suddenly it all sinks in, tears pour over the brims of my eyes as though a dam burst. Billie doesn't hesitate he swings me around so I am crying into his shoulder. I cry and he tries to soothe me, knowing the pain of losing a parent. Snow falls on us, so cold I feel us both shivering, I feel the tears freeze to my cheeks. Billie is lifting me off the ground and I feel to numb to protest, he cradles me against his chest and I rock gently as he walks us both back inside. I close my eyes and drift with the motion. I may be an orphan but I am not alone; I have Billie.


	21. Chapter 21

So much is said about the first kiss, yet so little said about the last.

I remember it, Jesus, do I remember it… That kiss that happened on the plane barely minutes before I by all technical means, died. That kiss on the plane before we landed was so different to other kisses in the past, it wasn't hungry, I didn't need it for some selfish reason, it wasn't heated passion nor anger that brought it on; no for the first time in a long time, it was love. That kiss was the moment I realized that Adrienne Norella Middleton was my life, I had to marry her, and if it wasn't for the twenty one French lunatics that started shooting at us I would have asked her then and there.

Hell I didn't even care about her hooking up with that Marine anymore how could I? She was hurt, angry and if nothing else; lonely. I sure hadn't helped the case being so evasive with her, I was infuriating myself; she didn't owe me anything. But alas if anything that made me want her hand in marriage all the more, she would never feel lonely, I would never let anything hurt her. After the Marine saved us, well Adrienne at least, I couldn't be mad at him either, he's only done right by Adi; He made her feel less lonely, he made her feel safe, he took care of her when I was supposed to be dead and as far as I can tell he hadn't made a pass on Adrienne again.

But that last kiss before that bullet passed through my back, it was all I could think about as I looked into Adrienne's terrified eyes. I wanted to assure her I was content with dying knowing, from that kiss alone, that she felt the same way for me. Sure I would have been more content with having time with her, a lot more time with her; I hadn't thought the rest of my life with her would be a few pathetic minutes. Some saving Grace out there has given me a second chance though, from either sheer luck or a bloody miracle I can see my Adrienne again, and hopefully for a much longer time. Yet even with that luck, everything I had vowed while I searched the whole of Paris for her, became redundant when I got the news from Mike, I couldn't tell her in the middle of the seven eleven that her mother had passed away. As soon as I told her 'Not now' the hurt in her eyes tore at me; I swore I would never do this to her. Somehow though, through something in my face or voice she understood I had my reasons.

Now here we are in Trè and Mike's Parisian apartment, Adrienne is in bed, hopefully sleeping; she really needs it. Inside the guys are playing poker and I have stepped outside for a cigarette, I need its cool intoxicating burn to steel my nerves. There are people still after us and our fellow Marine still hasn't shown his face, it's hard to think that the man that had our back so well at the airport and took such good care of Adi is now most likely dead. I think Adrienne senses this as well, and for her to find out her mother is dead and already suspect her friend is too… Jesus I am amazed she hasn't broken. She is so goddamned strong, but I have come to learn that even the strongest can crumble under the smallest of things when the weight of the world is already upon them; and that frightens the crap out of me. I just hope I am the one who can be there to pick her up when she falls.

"Hey Billianna, you coming back inside," I almost choke on my cigarette as Très voice brings me out of my deep thoughts suddenly.

"Jesus Trè, you should know not to sneak up on me!" I grab at my heart which is suddenly hammering, I have no idea why I am so startled by his appearance; none the less he has been filled I on everything so he should know better.

"Gee, I am sorry Bill, did I interrupt some… less than holy thoughts?" He raises his eyebrows suggestively and elbows me in the arm. I just laugh as I recover from my previous fright.

"No you anus," Trè looks taken aback my insult but sees the innocence in my words, "you scared me because usually when somebody sneaks up behind me they are trying to kill me."

"Touché my endangered Pal," He leans back against the railing coolly, "you coming inside or not then?"

"Soon, just finishing this puppy," I indicate to the unfinished cigarette in my fingers and Trè just nods.

"I hope this all ends soon, I mean we can't afford to cancel any more shows," Trè sighs, his usual animosity evaporates momentarily, "If word gets out that Green Day keep cancelling shows we are going to get very unpopular and soon we'll start losing fans, then record sales will plummet, then we have to get like real jobs to keep on living and shit."

"That's dark thinking Trè, we cancelled one show in America and that was mainly due to the snow storm," I slap him on the back encouragingly, "y'know bands have cancelled more shows for lesser reasons, don't worry buddy we have an arsenal of new songs to give the people. So long as we keep doing what we are doing and keep loving it the people will stand by us till we hit the graves ourselves."

"You're right, cheers Billie-goat," Très usual smile returns to his carefree face, "This is why you are in charge."

"I am about as much in charge as you and Mike y'know," I remind him, he looks to me like the leader and so does Mike, but I look at us all as equals, they have just as much to do with Green Day as I do, Jesus without them I would be nothing.

"Yeah but you have the words we need." With that he walks back into the living room and closes the door. I am not sure if he means lyric wise or advice wise, but I don't dwell on it. I draw another drag of my cigarette and watch the end glow orange as the bittersweet smoke burns its way through my throat before warming up my chilly lungs; and boy does it feel good.

I look over the balcony, over the tops of the other apartment buildings in front of us until I see the tip of the Eiffel Tower. Man I could get used to this view y'know, if the people weren't so rude and weren't trying to kill me I would actually consider talking to Adrienne about getting an apartment here. Why is everybody trying to kill me? Well because they believe I actually know where these goddamned files are, truth is… I don't have a clue. I called my mother Ollie to have a look at them but not tell me where they are, because if I don't know and somebody catches me and tortures me I have no information to give them and I won't be risking my mother's life or anybody else's. I just told her to get back to me when she knew what these files were. I hadn't expected her to say that they were plans for a nuclear family, yep, a whole family of nuclear weaponry, enough missiles, bombs, ships, planes and even camera's to blow up the entire USA. I suppose when word gets out that such files have escaped the grasp of America, mass hysteria breaks out and suddenly everybody wants the big scary weapons to gain control. They are all going about gaining power the wrong way. When I perform I have more power over everybody in that room than the President or the Queen, in fact I could have power over them to. I am not God, no far from it, I am just not an idiot y'know like the rest of the world. I get power and control over the audience by showing them I know they are there, I know they are human, I let them know I actually give a fuck about them. They eat it up because that's all they want, to be heard, understood and seen as people not pawns. If the government was smart they would reach out to their people in the same way, then and only then would they really have control. They think fear is the best means of control and the assholes believe it, the best means of control is to not control them. But the Government I don't think could handle that feeling of loss of control.

I take another drag on my cigarette and as I exhale the deliciously potent smoke from my lungs my thoughts shift to my boy Joey. I have tried all I can to not worry about him, to not think about him while I know he is safe in hiding with my mother. And I have done pretty damn well up until recently, I know he is safe but he isn't with me. Nobody is. Still I am his father and he is so young still, he is only two fucking years old, I should be there with him watching him grow up. But I can't I just fucking can't! I slam my palm furiously against the snow coated railing, it stings and it burns cold but I do it again and again. Some fucking father I am, Jesus no wonder Bella couldn't stand this lifestyle, it's hard, it's so goddamned hard and yet I have dragged two people I love into it.

"Easy Billie," Mike's voice sounds softly behind me, not startling me in the slightest with my current rage, "What's up?"

"Fuck Mike, I can't do this," I bite down hard on my lip trying to even my voice out, Mike keeps his face cool, "I can't be a father to a son I never see, I can't drag Adi- Nora into this life. I am so fucking selfish!"

Mike laughs, hysterically, out loud and I just stare at him, "Yeah Billie so selfish, you fell in love, such an asshole," Mike pauses to roll his eyes and keeps laughing, "You had a kid, who you love to pieces but is still just too young to take on the road at the moment. Woah such a Jerk, you don't look out for anyone but yourself do you?" He finally stops laughing and I let his words, though sarcastic, sink in.

` "It's hard Mike, I mean look at what I have done to Nora,"

"Yeah, but shit happens," Mike pulls my notebook out from behind his back and I feel like hitting him, he knows that's my private notebook, "Seems to me though she is quite the muse for you. She is good for you Billie, she loves you, your lifestyle and everything," he tosses the notebook over to me and I almost don't catch it, "but right now she needs you to be strong, she just lost her mum and is in a different country, she needs you Bills." He turns and walks back into the living room and through the glass doors I see him Crash tackle Trè to the floor and the two begin to fight. I open my notebook…

_Words get trapped in my mind, Sorry I don't take the time to feel the way I do, Cause the first day you came into my life, My time ticks around you, But then I need your voice, As the key to unlock all the love that's trapped in me, So tell me when it's time to say I love you… All I want is you to understand, That when I take your hand it's because I want to, We are all born in a world of doubt, But there's no doubt, I've figured out… I love you._

I slam the notebook shut, Mike is right, as usual. I drop my cigarette on the ground and stomp it out. I practically run through the doors of Adrienne's bedroom where she lies in her bed hugging tightly to a pillow that she sobs into. She hears me come in but doesn't move to turn around, so I just slide into bed beside her and wrap my arms around her bringing our bodies close together and we fit perfectly. She sniffles as she laces her fingers in with mine; I rest my head in the nape of her neck and kiss her lightly.

"I love you Adrienne," She sobs harder and I close my eyes, but she pulls my hand to her lips and kisses my knuckles softly; a small gesture that says four words. I love you too.

This is how we lay, she doesn't turn around to face me, in fact she doesn't really even let go of the pillow. But how we are right now is more comfortable than any embrace. The noise from the guys outside is all that can be heard aside from the sniffles from Adi; but all I hear is the lyrics to my song float in my head and I feel a tear leave my own eye.


	22. Chapter 22

P

I am not sure how long we have lain like this, but clearly long enough for us both to fall asleep. I look at Adrienne, asleep beside me and even though she doesn't look happy, the idea of waking her up, even by accident, seems criminal. But the persistent knocking on the door that originally woke me up continues and there are three options all of which have potential to wake up Adi. First option I let them keep knocking and they might eventually walk in, second option is that I get out of bed and let go of Adrienne and go see what they want, or third I tell them to come in quietly; all options are most likely going to wake Adi up. I groan silently at the inevitable before I whisper for whoever is knocking to come in quietly, thankfully though she doesn't wake up, instead she just takes my arm tighter and holds it closer to her chest. Mike pops his head through the door and his wrist which he taps to indicate a need to hurry up- Shit! The concert tonight. I groan, audibly this time, gaining a sympathetic shrug from Mike before he closes the door softly.

I stare at Adrienne for a moment already regretting the idea of waking her up but knowing I have to. I take in a deep breath and nudge her softly cooing her name, trying hopelessly to bring her back to consciousness without scaring her. She moans in reply but doesn't wake up, and the moan itself isn't even a conscious one per say. Moving the hair off her face I lean in and kiss her on the cheek whispering her name once again and this time I am greeted with a defeated and sleepy 'what'. I laugh softly, more like a jiggered breath and Adrienne, as if signalling her intent to fall back asleep, pulls my arm tighter again forcing me to come in closer to her body. Though I like the idea of falling cosily back to sleep with her in my arms; duty calls.

"We have the concert tonight, we have to leave shortly," I whisper with a reluctant urgency.

She lets go of my arm, "Okay, hope you guys have a good show and nobody dies, I'll be asleep when you get back most likely." She yawns as she throws her pillow over her face in a childlike defiance, I laugh for a moment before I take one of her arms and tug it lightly, "Geez mum, five more minutes." Though her intentions were light hearted, just a standard all American household joke, but I can see her light words hang heavily from her heart. She sighs but I am determined to keep her smiling, so in nonchalance I continue my mission to get her out of bed and to the concert; I take the pillow off her face with less fight than I hoped for.

"Oh, you are coming with us," She screws up her face and I kiss her nose, "It would be criminal to miss your first ever Green Day concert, let alone an access ALL area's gig," I wink at her playfully with the emphasis on all, seeing as she opened one eye, she saw and she is giggling into her pillow case, "Come on the guys are waiting." As if to punctuate my sentence I get up off the bed and Adrienne rolls over onto her back and watches me, a smile on her lips, but the hurt is still in her eyes. A look I had seen on my mother even years after my dad's passing, a look nobody should ever have to wear. My mums words enter my head for the millionth time since I had been shot, 'being the survivor hurts so much Billie Joe, to wake up every day knowing you will never see them again, never hold them in your arms, never hear them say I love you-' She could never finish, the tears always caught her there; and to think I had almost done that to Adrienne and now she is the last of her family; she is the survivor.

"Gross Billie, look at me!" She gestures to the black button-up I had loaned her what seems like such a long time ago, and up to her knotted hair, "Not like this."

"Why not?" I laugh softly, trying to keep the mood light even though I can see her obvious pain, "I think the dreads are a good look for a high class lawyer such as yourself," she laughs a sleepy laugh and tries to comb out her hair with her fingers.

"Actually, I have a confession to make," she gives up trying to comb her hair, I raise an eyebrow pressing her to continue, "Seeing as I haven't been in to work for a month, I unofficially resigned. I am unemployed." I stare at her in shock, in all this mess I have forgotten that she had a job and having pulled her away from it for so long, it had never occurred to me that she might actually lose the job she excelled at.

She just smiles at me, "Well, I believe we have an opening for a travelling stylist, and with fashion sense like yours we basically need you," she laughs but without humour, "I am sorry I made you lose your job."

She snaps out of her daze and laughs, "Sorry? I was going to quit anyway, my boss was an asshole," she bites her lip and even though her face is smiling all I can see is the pain in her eyes, the pain I have indirectly caused her, "and that job offer is just one I cannot turn down." She places her hand on my cheek and I lean my head into her touch, cupping my hand around hers to keep her face there, "I am worried though Billie, something tells me all this killing business isn't over yet, and seeing as it is such a public event it seems like a perfect way to make a statement,"

"And because it is so public, they aren't going to try anything," I look her in the eyes, "they haven't been trying to make a statement Adrienne, they have been trying to get something that if the world found out they had would bring on their own destruction, they aren't going to try anything at the concert. You will be safer there, it is a sold out stadium with the most amount of security for any gig; please come Adrienne, then I will know you are safe."

"I don't want to go out looking like this," she whines and takes her hand away from my face to throw the blanket over her face, "I mean for christ's sake Billie, I am wearing your shirt which is destroyed and it looks like I have never seen a hairbrush in my life."

I pull the blanket away from her face, "well it just so happens that Tre loves to shop and I am sure would be more than happy to accompany you to the finest shops here in Paris tomorrow," Adrienne's face lights up at the idea of getting some fresh clothes, "only if you come tonight, and if you are lucky, the stylist there might have brush you can borrow," I take a bit of hair in my hand and make my face as serious as I can manage, "but in all honesty the look suits you, you look punky. And though it might surprise you you will actually fit in quite well."

"Fine," she pushes the blanket off her and swings her legs over the side of the side of the bed, I stand up and offer her my hand to help her up which she takes, "but stop grovelling, that look doesn't suit you." She winks playfully planting a swift kiss on my cheek before she walks out the door with a cheeky grin on her face. It is great to see her smiling considering everything but I know how bad she is hurting inside.

The limo arrived not long after Adrienne and I got out of bed, apparently the guys let us sleep through sound check which is all sorted, just a minor adjustment in the first song might have to be made to my microphone, everything else is ready to go. Adrienne and Tre lightly chatted about Tre's shopping knowledge as we drove the half an hour drive to the stadium we are about to play in. I managed to find our clothing for the show and to Adrienne's delight a hairbrush wasn't far away. The guys and I quickly changed into our usual gig clothes and eyeliner was everywhere. We were told we still had another half an hour to kill so we decided to have a few pre-drinks to calm our nerves and get us ready. I didn't take one, I am too nervous; I just take to pacing around the room, trying to get my head in the zone. I don't know if I am going to be able to do this full set, my heart is still bruised and I haven't touched a guitar since I got shout through my back, I am not sure I can even play. Fuck what am I going to do, what if I can't fucking play or what if I do and pass out halfway through the fucking set?!

"Billie," Adrienne's soft voice snaps me out of my panic for a moment, "are you okay? You seem a little edgy?"

I smile at the irony, a little edgy at the moment? Yeah, that comes with the French and US armies trying to kill you. "Yeah, I am okay, just nervous about performing."

"Are you telling me that a performer with your reputation and social status in the world of punk rock, gets stage fright?"

"In a way yeah I guess, but tonight is bad," She tilts her head on the side to indicate my elaboration is needed, "it's just, y'know, what if I can't play tonight y'know? That's going to let down a lot of people and myself, and what if I go into cardiac arrest or some shit in the middle of the gig y'know. I am not fucking ready for this shit tonight, I can't fucking do this gig, I am ready but my body is not." Adrienne just leans over and kisses me on the cheek, she holds me still and I look her in the eyes.

"Billie, you won't be letting anybody down if you don't play guitar tonight, everybody knows what happened to you, hell the whole world tour has agreed to move back all the gigs so you don't miss any of them. They are all going to understand, your back up guitarist I am sure would not mind playing the whole show either, gives him some worthy spotlight. As for going into cardiac arrest, I doubt that will happen and if it does, again everybody is going to understand." I just stare at her as I let it all sink in, "you have taken on an army and survived, you completely ruined my life and yet have still had me fall in love with you," she says smiling, "you can handle a show."

`I pause for a moment to realise what she is saying, I have done the impossible in her eyes, so there is no reason I shouldn't be able to handle doing what I have done for my whole life. "Alright guys, enough shitting around, let's warm up."

We spend the next twenty minutes playing through songs, my shoulder is aching like mad and my heart is hammering, but the feeling is ignored as soon as we get the call to get to side stage because we are about to go on. Before I leave I ask Adrienne to come with us and watch from the side of the stage, she nodded but I wasn't convinced she was coming. The hallway is dark and we are led by people with torches, somebody hands me my guitar Blue, but the weight is already taking its toll on my wounded back, shoulder and heart. The lights snap off suddenly and our entry music begins to play and as soon as the sound of the audience cheering hits my ears all pain goes away, this is what I live for. When I said music was my life I wasn't kidding, fuck me, Music to me is… it's the air that I breathe y'know, it's the blood that pumps through my veins that keeps me alive. I can't imagine my life without Green Day in it, that wouldn't even be a life worth living. I run blindly onto to stage when I hear Trè already hammering out his Drum intro, teasing the audience, winding them up even more than they already are. I can't see a goddamned thing but I can see the smile he must have on his face right now, I stumble over to where I am supposed to stand and find my mic ready and waiting, just in time to because the lights are thrown on and within that instant the whole band in unison snaps into J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) and the crowd screams wildly, and suddenly everything that was holding me back slips away and all I can focus on is this feeling. Adrenaline mixes with nostalgia and excitement. All I am thinking is holy fucking shit! As I look out over the crowd of people jumping around and singing along to all the words of my songs. To hear my shit that we recorded in a shitty studio in America being screamed back at me in a different country speaking a different language… I cannot even begin to describe how that feels, holy fucking shit is all I can think. I look side stage and there is Adrienne standing beside our favourite Marine, Chase Xavier. The worst few days has suddenly in the space of the songs intro has turned to be the best. Fuck everybody, fuck the French soldiers out to kill me, fuck the shit that has happened in the past, this is the fucking moment and nothing is going to stop me.

Nothing except my entire left arm locking up, but Jason has me covered and picks up straight away, not missing a single beat. I might not be able to use my left arm, but my voice still works and so long as my heart keeps beating and I keep breathing in this intoxicating atmosphere, nothing can stop me, I look over at Adrienne who's eyes are wide with concern about my sudden stopping of playing, I simply smile at her and signal to the boys to repeat the bar. She is going to hate me but I take her wrist and lead her on stage, dancing as we go. The crowd goes hysterical at the sight, I can hear a mix of laughter and cheers and watch Adrienne's cheeks flush red, but she doesn't make a run for it yet, she dances along awkwardly with me. The moment is perfect despite all my deepest worries, nothing can ruin this night-

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	23. Chapter 23

The crowd and lights suddenly disappear and the blurry image of my dad appears, I blink trying to focus my mind. Where the fuck did the crowd go? My dad is walking towards me, but the more he comes into vision I can see he is running and bending down low, his hands over his head. The sound of gunfire fills my ears, I slap my hands to my ears trying to block out the noise. In doing so I almost miss my dad calling my name, it's as if he is calling me in slow motion by hearing him say my name so clearly in a voice I remember so clearly. Before I can stop it a tear escapes my eye, I whisper his name in reply; he can't hear me over the sound of gunfire though. I know I am dreaming but he grabs my wrist and I feel it through every fibre in my body, he leads me behind the cover of a delivery truck.

"Billie Joe," his voice snaps me out of my shock, "what are you doing here kid?"

"Dad?" I sound so small; this is just a dream, a beautiful nightmare.

"I've missed you kiddo," despite the gunfire raging around us, hammering the truck from every angle, he hugs me and doesn't fail to give me a knuckle sandwich, "what's happening, why are you here now though?" his face and tone grow serious and study me intently. I try to overcome my shock and confusion, what does he mean here?

"I uh, I guess I must have passed out?" his eyebrows snap up in confusion and with a tad of remorse, "It's been a rough couple of weeks…"

` "Billie, this isn't some dream from passing out," he cocks a gun I didn't know he had and ducks around the side of a truck, shooting at a person getting too close, "This is some other place, a place I have been since I died."

I feel myself grow pale, is he saying I am dead? "What…?"

"These past couple weeks what's been tough? Made some enemies or something?"

"Kind of, uh, the US and French Military have been after me for some nuclear files," Now dad's face grows pale, he stops shooting and looks at me, his whole face screaming 'shit', "know anything that can get them off my case without destroying the world?"

"Shit BJ," I hadn't noticed I was crying until my dad closes into a hug around me, the gunfire ceases completely, "I never thought they would come- why are the French after you?"

"I am in France on a world tour, guess they want the files too-" Dad pushes me out of the hug and looks down at my face, his eyes suddenly gleaming.

"World tour?" he smiles excitedly

"Yes, with my band Green Day, we are pretty big Dad, I wish you could see us, I owe everything to you Old Man." My dad actually breaks down crying, he places a hand on my shoulder, his smile so contagious I can't help myself either. I can see the pride in his expression.

"Billie!" he cries out with such animosity, "I am so proud of you, you had so much talent when you were so young, I am so glad you kept going with it." He wipes his cheeks with his free hand.

"I have a fiancé as well, Adrienne, you would love her dad," I smile at the name, then frown at the thought… I _had_ a fiancé if what dad has said is right and I am dead, for real this time.

"Is she safe? Does she know?" his happy tears quickly cease and his face grows dark. I never thought that if I ever saw my dad again it would be so up and down, all I really want to do is throw around a freaking baseball and play music together like the good old days when he was alive.

"She knows, she is- was with me the whole time,"

"Well you have to get back there, something tells me you aren't meant to be dead," he pauses for a moment before he weakly smiles, "I know a father when I see one."

"Dad I-" he puts a hand up.

"Billie Joe Armstrong, you aren't meant to be dead, you're here for answers," I look at him perplexed as to his words, "I was just a truck driver, surely you remember that, but one day some razed loon jumped in front of my truck, I slammed on the breaks before I hit him, but he hit my truck anyway. He ran away before I got out of the truck, I looked where he had hit the front and found some folder. I picked it up and read it, said top secret nuclear plans. I took it with me, and hid it in that box I told you kids never to touch, I knew some day people would come for them, but how could they find me, how would they ever know that a truck driver had them. So I never thought they would actually come after anybody, let alone armies." He looks down at his gun and then back up to me, "If you have any friends in the US military get the files from Ollie, I know she still has them, and give them to somebody you trust to take them back to the US." He picks up his gun and my heart climbs into my throat, "Good luck with your tour, I am so proud of you Bill," he points the gun at me, I am taken by total shock at the sight

"Dad…"

"I am sorry Bill; I'll catch you in the next life." With that he fires the gun; a bullet hits me straight through my heart. I don't die straight away though, I fall onto my back and throw my hand up around my heart, I feel blood trickle from the corners of my mouth and y lungs shake as I try violently to take in some breaths. My ears are ringing and my vision is fading and all I can hear is my dad crying my name, over and over. His voice changes pitch and tone, sounding more and more like Adrienne every time.

My eyes fly open and I am met by blinding florescent lights and obnoxious beeping of monitors. Where am I? Where is my dad? What happened? What about the show? Is everybody safe? Questions fire through my head like thousands of bullets ricocheting off the corners of my mind. I take in as many rapid breaths as I can before I feel a hand place itself on my chest, I feel my eyes widen in alarm; who is touching me? Where am I? Tears begin to leak from my eyes, what about my dad?

"Billie, shh," A soothing voice coos to me through all my confusion and disorientation, "It's okay, you are in a hospital, your heart stopped during the concert, you are going to be okay now. Oh Billie…" I look at Adrienne, I try to hear her words and let them make sense, but all I can think about is my dad. I wanted my reunion with him to be something longer; I wanted to talk to him about everything that has happened since he passed away, every goddamned detail about my life that he had missed. And I could tell, I could fucking tell, he wanted that too. But no these goddamned files have to ruin everything. His explanation of how he came by them doesn't even make sense to me anymore. I just want to get rid of them, live a normal life again, keep Adrienne safe, and stop all this violence for fuck's sake!

"Adrienne," I rasp and she shoots to attention, "Get Mercury." She looks at me perplexed but walks over to the door and returns with Mercury by her side, "The files you are after are at my mother Ollie's place in Rodeo, California. Go to her and take the files back to whoever is after them," without any hesitation he leaves the room and I feel myself starting to tire from the wearing off adrenaline, "Adrienne…"

"Yes Billie?"

"How did Mercury survive?"

She laughs softly and runs her hand through my hair, "Rest Billie, I will tell you later when you are a little more conscious," She pauses before leaning down and placing her lips on my forehead.

"I will rest if you stay with me," I struggle with my words; fresh drugs from doctors fill my system making me so groggy. The image of my father dances around in my heart and I feel my chest grow tight.

"I wasn't planning on leaving," She kisses my lips and I weakly kiss her back, even if I am only half-conscious the feeling is one I can't describe, how many more fucking times will I die before I can no longer ever feel her lips on mine, _being the survivor hurts so much Billie Joe, to wake up every day knowing you will never see them again, never hold them in your arms, never hear them say I love you-_, "I love you Billie Joe Armstrong," If I was conscious enough I would cry, but at the feeling of her lips reaching my forehead and her arm wrapping itself around my midsection, I feel myself drift.


End file.
